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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: sharp · chip · key · temple · branch · roll · club · date

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. roll — a list
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. club — a group
  6. date — the fruit
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. key — for a lock
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. chip — to eat
  11. club — for dancing
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. branch — a division
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. chip — for betting
  21. club — for golf
  22. key — the most important part
  23. sharp — clever
  24. temple — a place of worship

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