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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 120 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. net — after costs
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. branch — a division
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. deal — to handle
  14. net — in sport
  15. stand — to bear
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. key — in music
  18. dip — to sink
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. net — for catching
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fall — to drop

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