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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 116 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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tear — from crying
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. press — to push
  5. bank — for money
  6. press — newspapers
  7. tear — from crying
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bank — of a river
  10. kid — child
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. hand — help
  14. wax — to grow
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bank — for money
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. suit — clothes
  22. kid — to tease
  23. hand — in cards
  24. suit — in cards

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