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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: file · branch · bowl · root · cabinet · temple · court · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. court — of a king
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. court — for sport
  15. file — a document
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. court — of law
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. branch — a division
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. root — of a word
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cabinet — ministers

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