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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — the animal
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pound — a weight
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bear — the animal
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. branch — a division
  24. fine — a penalty

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