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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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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: staff · mark · fan · track · squash · lie · tear · bank

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mark — a grade
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bank — for money
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. staff — employees
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bank — for money
  12. squash — the sport
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. track — to keep track
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tear — from crying
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. staff — a stick
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lie — to recline
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. squash — to crush

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