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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 · mark · stick · object · firm · date · branch · temple

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. object — an aim
  2. branch — a division
  3. tear — from crying
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mark — a grade
  7. firm — decided
  8. object — a thing
  9. date — the fruit
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. tear — to rip
  12. tear — from crying
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. object — to protest
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  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