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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.

Make a worksheet

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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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. staff — employees
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. net — in sport
  6. toast — bread
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. net — after costs
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. tear — to rip
  17. staff — a stick
  18. tear — from crying
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. staff — employees
  22. tear — from crying
  23. net — for catching
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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