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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: bank · firm · spell · tear · foot · cap · mate · stock

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mate — to breed
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stock — shares
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. firm — steady
  14. spell — letters
  15. firm — a company
  16. stock — goods
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. mate — a friend
  19. foot — a measure
  20. tear — to rip
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. firm — decided
  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