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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: sharp · hand · calf · tear · mine · suit · band · pass

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. band — a ring
  8. hand — help
  9. mine — for digging
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. suit — clothes
  15. sharp — clever
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. tear — from crying
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. hand — in cards
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pass — a permit
  23. suit — to fit
  24. tear — from crying

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