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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: pit · wound · bound · foot · plane · branch · rock · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. branch — a division
  3. foot — a measure
  4. wound — an injury
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bound — certain
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rock — music
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rock — a stone
  17. plane — a tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pit — in a race
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pit — a hole
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. branch — of a tree
  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