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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. tear — to rip
  8. object — a thing
  9. deal — to handle
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. suit — to fit
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rush — hurry
  16. row — a line
  17. tear — from crying
  18. row — to paddle
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. suit — clothes

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