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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. snap — to click
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wound — an injury
  6. branch — a division
  7. degree — from a university
  8. object — an aim
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. key — in music
  12. degree — an amount
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. wound — an injury
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. object — a thing
  22. key — for a lock
  23. object — to protest
  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