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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · branch · bass · spell · temple · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. spell — magic
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. foot — a measure
  14. spell — letters
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — a division
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. spell — a short time

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