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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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468
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 · roll · charge · foot · bay · wake · bulb · nail

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bulb — for light
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. tear — from crying
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bulb — for light
  11. charge — a price
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. wake — a trail
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. roll — a cake
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. charge — in control

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