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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. degree — an amount
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — from a university
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. kid — child
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lie — to recline
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. kid — to tease
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. lie — an untruth

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