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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. charge — in control
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. key — the most important part
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rush — hurry
  13. key — in music
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. charge — electricity
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. charge — a price
  23. rush — a thrill
  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