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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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468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. branch — a division
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. staff — employees
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bass — low music
  10. root — the cause
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. suit — clothes
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pit — in a race
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bass — the fish
  20. root — of a word
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. root — of a plant
  24. temple — a place of worship

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