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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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rest — what's left
  6. tear — from crying
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ground — the earth
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spell — a short time
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rest — what's left
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rest — a break
  17. spell — letters
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. bank — for money
  21. spell — magic
  22. pit — in a race
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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