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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · bank · suit · cabinet · rock · tear

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. tear — from crying
  4. suit — clothes
  5. present — there
  6. tear — from crying
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rock — music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bank — for money
  13. present — the time now
  14. rock — a stone
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bank — for money
  17. tear — to rip
  18. present — a gift

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