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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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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: rock · bear · tear · present · temple · wound · staff · coach

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. staff — employees
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rock — music
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. staff — employees
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wound — an injury
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

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