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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: chip · stand · pitcher · tear · fan · content · rush · kick

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tear — from crying
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. content — happy
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. content — the amount
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rush — hurry
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pitcher — a jug

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