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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: bear · racket · wind · cap · tear · mug · bank · object

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — a face
  8. bear — the animal
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — a thing
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. cap — a hat
  13. object — to protest
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bear — the animal
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bank — for money
  19. tear — from crying
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wind — moving air
  22. cap — a lid
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cap — of ice

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