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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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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. fine — high quality
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. perch — the fish
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ball — a great time
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. ball — a dance
  15. charge — a price
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fine — all right
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. saw — the tool

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