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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: pass · spell · bear · temple · club · bat · hide · branch

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. spell — a short time
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. spell — letters
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. pass — a permit
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. club — for golf
  10. bat — the animal
  11. branch — a division
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bear — the animal
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. spell — magic
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. club — a group
  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