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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — a break
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bulb — for light
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bank — for money
  11. last — to go on
  12. tear — from crying
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. last — final
  15. lean — to bend
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — thin
  21. last — finally
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a music group

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