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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: wound · branch · row · cell · temple · cabinet · mug · dip

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. row — to paddle
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cell — a phone
  6. wound — an injury
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. wound — an injury
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. row — a line
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mug — to rob
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. cell — in biology
  19. dip — to sink
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mug — a face

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