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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: arm · sharp · branch · spell · plane · tube · temple · fan

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. tube — the underground
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. spell — a short time
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. tube — a container
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. plane — a tool
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. spell — magic
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. spell — letters
  21. branch — a division
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. plane — an aircraft

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