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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. game — wild animals
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. tear — from crying
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. ground — a position
  11. bark — to shout
  12. key — for a lock
  13. tear — from crying
  14. lie — to recline
  15. ground — crushed
  16. key — in music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. tear — to rip
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. game — a match
  22. key — the most important part
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ground — the earth

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