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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bound — obliged
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bound — certain
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bank — for money
  8. wound — an injury
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bound — tied together
  11. shower — rain
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mug — to rob
  15. can — a tin
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bank — for money
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wound — an injury
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mug — a face
  24. saw — the tool

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