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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: shower · branch · temple · arm · mate · firm · race · charge

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mate — a partner
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. mate — a friend
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. race — a contest
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. shower — to wash
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. firm — decided
  12. shower — rain
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — the arms race
  22. charge — a price
  23. mate — to breed
  24. branch — a division

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