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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. tear — to rip
  3. firm — decided
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. firm — a company
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. tear — from crying
  8. content — the amount
  9. tear — from crying
  10. spell — letters
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. deal — to handle
  14. spell — magic
  15. firm — steady
  16. land — to come down
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. bank — for money
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bank — for money
  23. spell — a short time
  24. lie — to recline

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