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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 120 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: mine · rash · branch · bound · temple · current · bowl · foot

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. branch — a division
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. rash — a series
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. mine — for digging
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. current — of water
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. foot — a measure
  18. rash — hasty
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bound — certain
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bowl — to roll

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