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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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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: tear · leaves · stand · bank · mark · pound · object · temple

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. object — an aim
  3. tear — from crying
  4. object — a thing
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bank — for money
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pound — a weight
  17. object — to protest
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. mark — a grade
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mark — a trace

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