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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.

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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: bank · band · fork · pound · patient · temple · root · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. root — the cause
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. root — of a plant
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bank — for money
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. band — a music group
  21. tear — from crying
  22. band — a ring
  23. pound — a weight
  24. root — of a word

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