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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: spell · can · pass · tear · nail · bear · trunk · lean

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bear — the animal
  4. tear — to rip
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bear — the animal
  7. tear — from crying
  8. spell — magic
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. spell — letters
  11. lean — thin
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pass — a permit
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. tear — from crying
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — a short time
  20. can — a tin
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. can — to be able to

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