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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: cap · temple · object · bear · branch · racket · deal · tube

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bear — the animal
  4. object — a thing
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cap — a lid
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bear — the animal
  9. object — an aim
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. object — to protest
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cap — of ice
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cap — a hat
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. tube — a container
  24. temple — side of the head

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