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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: fine · branch · bay · cell · present · temple · straw · tube

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  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. cell — a phone
  2. present — a gift
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. fine — all right
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. present — the time now
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. branch — a division
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cell — in biology
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. present — there
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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