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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.

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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. dip — to sink
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rock — music
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. kid — child
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mark — a grade
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rock — a stone
  24. kid — to tease

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