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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.

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: temple · bear · object · tear · coach · mine · track · jam

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bear — the animal
  4. tear — to rip
  5. object — a thing
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. track — a song
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. track — to keep track
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. tear — from crying
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. mine — for digging
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. track — a path
  22. tear — from crying
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bear — to put up with

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