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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. shower — rain
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — a contest
  5. branch — a division
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. cap — of ice
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. race — the arms race
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mark — a grade
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mark — a trace
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. shower — to wash
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cap — a lid
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mark — to pay attention

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