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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. drill — army training
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. drill — the tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bank — for money
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. can — a tin
  14. drill — a practice
  15. can — to be able to
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. tear — to rip
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mine — for digging
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com