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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: row · bear · shower · tear · safe · can · toast · fall

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. can — a tin
  3. fall — the season
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bear — the animal
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. fall — to drop
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. can — a tin
  11. tear — to rip
  12. can — to be able to
  13. row — a line
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. tear — from crying
  18. toast — bread
  19. fall — to drop
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. row — to paddle
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. tear — from crying

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