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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. present — a gift
  3. fork — in a road
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. suit — to fit
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. present — there
  9. tube — a container
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. firm — steady
  15. tube — the underground
  16. degree — an amount
  17. suit — clothes
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — temperature
  21. firm — a company
  22. present — the time now
  23. suit — in cards
  24. firm — decided

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