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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. drill — a practice
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fork — in a road
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — the tool
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. track — a song
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. track — a path
  11. branch — a division
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. track — to keep track
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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