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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: tear · saw · rash · track · bank · present · tube · foot

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  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. tear — from crying
  2. bank — for money
  3. present — there
  4. bank — for money
  5. tube — a container
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bank — of a river
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. track — a path
  16. rash — hasty
  17. tear — to rip
  18. present — the time now
  19. tube — the underground
  20. saw — the tool
  21. present — a gift
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  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