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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 · dip · date · object · mug · roll · wind · bank

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. wind — moving air
  3. object — an aim
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — the fruit
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bank — for money
  11. tear — from crying
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. tear — from crying
  14. dip — to sink
  15. roll — a cake
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mug — a cup
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bank — for money
  20. roll — a list
  21. mug — a face
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mug — to rob
  24. date — on the calendar

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