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

Word bank: fan · bank · tube · pitch · bear · tear · pound · stand

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bank — for money
  3. pitch — completely
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. tube — a container
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bank — of a river
  8. tear — to rip
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. tube — the underground
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fan — a supporter

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