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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. tear — from crying
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. ground — the earth
  17. branch — a division
  18. ground — crushed
  19. tube — a container
  20. chip — to eat
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. chip — for betting
  24. tube — the underground

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