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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: tear · object · bank · clip · shower · cabinet · safe · branch

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. object — an aim
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. clip — for paper
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. clip — a video
  10. bank — for money
  11. object — a thing
  12. tear — from crying
  13. clip — to cut
  14. branch — a division
  15. bank — for money
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. shower — rain
  18. tear — to rip
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bank — of a river
  22. object — to protest
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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