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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. spring — of water
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. firm — a company
  7. branch — a division
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. tube — a container
  10. fine — all right
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tube — the underground
  13. spring — the season
  14. tear — from crying
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. spring — a coil
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fine — high quality
  24. tear — to rip

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