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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: dip · tube · tear · calf · jam · deal · temple · branch

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. tear — to rip
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tear — from crying
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. tear — from crying
  19. branch — a division
  20. dip — to sink
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. deal — to handle

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