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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.

Words on the sheet
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 · bark · present · fan · bear · rush · suit · fall

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bear — the animal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bark — to shout
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — from crying
  12. fall — to drop
  13. tear — to rip
  14. present — there
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. fall — the season
  21. present — a gift
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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