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

Word bank: can · temple · file · bank · deal · bear · wound · ruler

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. file — a tool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bank — for money
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. can — a tin
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. file — a document
  19. bank — of a river
  20. can — a tin
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. file — a line of people

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