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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: chip · key · hand · chair · hide · branch · bark · temple

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. branch — a division
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chip — for betting
  9. key — for a lock
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hand — in cards
  12. key — in music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. key — the most important part
  18. chip — to eat
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. hand — help
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bark — to shout
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. branch — of a tree

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