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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tube — a container

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