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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — for sport
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bear — the animal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ball — a dance
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bank — of a river
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. field — farmland
  18. bank — for money
  19. tear — from crying
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ball — a great time

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