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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. present — a gift
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. firm — decided
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. toast — bread
  8. present — there
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. firm — steady
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. firm — a company
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — a container
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. kick — in football
  18. bass — the fish
  19. present — the time now
  20. branch — a division
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bass — low music
  24. temple — side of the head

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