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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 116 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 · lean · bowl · dip · bay · can · tear · firm

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bank — for money
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. tear — to rip
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bank — of a river
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. can — a tin
  12. firm — steady
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. tear — from crying
  17. can — to be able to
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. can — a tin
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. bank — for money

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