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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: roll · cap · branch · bound · temple · season · spell · bay

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cap — of ice
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bound — obliged
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bound — tied together
  10. roll — a cake
  11. cap — a hat
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a list
  14. season — of the year
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. branch — a division
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cap — a lid
  22. season — in sport
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. branch — of a bank

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