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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: bore · bear · bank · content · roll · nail · temple · stick

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bore — to tire
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bank — for money
  9. content — the amount
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bore — to drill
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. roll — a cake
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. roll — a list
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. temple — a place of worship

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