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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mug — a cup
  14. board — to get on
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. branch — a division
  20. board — a committee
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. mug — to rob
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mug — a face

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