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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: lean · bear · mouse · tear · ground · jam · mark · ruler

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mark — a trace
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — crushed
  15. tear — from crying
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lean — thin
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. tear — to rip

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