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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. key — the most important part
  3. branch — a division
  4. key — for a lock
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. dip — to sink
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. key — in music
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. toast — bread
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. toast — the most admired

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