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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. chest — of your body
  6. deal — to handle
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rock — a stone
  9. chair — a leader
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. chest — a box
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. branch — a division
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. chest — of your body
  23. rock — music
  24. track — a song

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