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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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 — from crying
  2. band — a music group
  3. bear — the animal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. tube — the underground
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mark — a trace
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. saw — the tool
  12. tear — from crying
  13. band — a ring
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bear — the animal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tube — a container
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fan — a supporter
  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