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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a list
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. branch — a division
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. plane — a tool
  12. firm — decided
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. firm — steady
  17. content — the amount
  18. roll — a cake
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. firm — a company
  24. content — happy

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