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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: temple · roll · kid · branch · mine · date · club · plane

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. roll — a list
  5. plane — a tool
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. kid — child
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. date — the fruit
  14. club — for golf
  15. branch — a division
  16. mine — for digging
  17. club — for dancing
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. club — a group
  20. roll — a cake
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. kid — to tease
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. branch — of a tree

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