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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. branch — a division
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. race — humankind
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. lie — to recline
  12. cap — of ice
  13. root — of a word
  14. cap — a lid
  15. root — of a plant
  16. race — the arms race
  17. root — the cause
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. race — a contest
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bound — obliged
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lie — an untruth

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