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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: mine · cabinet · leaves · hand · tube · temple · safe · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tube — a container
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hand — help
  6. mine — for digging
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tear — from crying
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. mine — an explosive

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