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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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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: tear · band · bay · stand · wake · lean · deal · ruler

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. tear — from crying
  3. lean — to bend
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. tear — from crying
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lean — thin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wake — a trail
  15. deal — to handle
  16. tear — to rip
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. lean — to rest against

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