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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: leaves · bay · rest · object · ground · tear · can · bass

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ground — crushed
  4. rest — what's left
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bass — low music
  7. rest — a break
  8. can — a tin
  9. object — a thing
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ground — a position
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ground — the earth
  16. can — a tin
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rest — what's left
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. object — an aim
  22. can — to be able to
  23. object — to protest
  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