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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bound — tied together
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rash — hasty
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. saw — the tool
  10. branch — a division
  11. rash — a series
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — to crush
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. game — a match
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — certain
  24. temple — a place of worship

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