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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · temple · straw · board · branch · court · ruler · nail

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. court — of a king
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. board — to get on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. branch — a division
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. court — of law
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. court — for sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. board — a committee

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