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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. cap — of ice
  15. charge — in control
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. cap — a lid
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cap — a hat
  24. sharp — exactly

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