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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. roll — a list
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. branch — a division
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — the season
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. key — for a lock
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. key — in music
  15. can — a tin
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. can — to be able to
  18. band — a music group
  19. can — a tin
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. key — the most important part
  22. roll — a cake
  23. spring — a coil
  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