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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. band — a music group
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. can — a tin
  7. band — a ring
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ball — a dance
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. can — to be able to
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. can — a tin
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a great time
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. snap — to click
  22. chair — a leader
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. branch — a division

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