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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: bank · drill · safe · foot · tear · rock · chip · capital

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bank — for money
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. rock — a stone
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rock — music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. capital — a city
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. drill — army training
  17. chip — to eat
  18. capital — money
  19. foot — a measure
  20. chip — for betting
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bank — of a river
  24. drill — a practice

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