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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: present · lean · branch · temple · mark · staff · hand · toast

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. present — there
  3. lean — to bend
  4. staff — employees
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. hand — help
  7. staff — employees
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mark — a grade
  11. present — a gift
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. toast — bread
  17. mark — a trace
  18. staff — a stick
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. present — the time now
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. branch — a division
  24. lean — thin

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