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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: mug · fine · tear · content · bay · lean · pitcher · deal

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fine — high quality
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fine — all right
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. tear — from crying
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. lean — thin
  18. tear — to rip
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. content — happy
  22. mug — a face
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. deal — a big deal

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