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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. can — a tin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. can — to be able to
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bank — for money
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bank — of a river
  17. tear — from crying
  18. can — a tin
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bulb — for light
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bank — for money
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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