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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. staff — employees
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. squash — to crush
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rest — what's left
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. dip — to sink
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — tied together
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bound — certain
  22. staff — employees
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. squash — the sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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