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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: season · bay · cold · track · tear · ruler · bank · wind

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wind — moving air
  6. tear — from crying
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cold — not warm
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. season — in sport
  14. track — a song
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. tear — to rip
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bank — for money
  19. season — of the year
  20. track — a path
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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