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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: jam · coach · temple · fan · object · pop · tear · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. tear — to rip
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. pop — to visit
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pop — soda
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. object — to protest
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pop — music
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — from crying
  22. object — a thing
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. object — an aim

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