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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: can · date · stand · ball · temple · object · coach · branch

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. ball — a great time
  3. can — a tin
  4. stand — to bear
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. object — an aim
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — to protest
  23. branch — a division
  24. date — on the calendar

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