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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.

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: game · temple · bay · tube · press · season · key · tear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. press — newspapers
  3. key — in music
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. press — a publisher
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. season — in sport
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. game — a match
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. tear — from crying
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. key — the most important part
  20. press — to push
  21. tear — to rip
  22. season — of the year
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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