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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: net · present · foot · rock · branch · temple · date · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. net — in sport
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rock — a stone
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. present — there
  10. net — for catching
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. net — after costs
  13. present — a gift
  14. bear — the animal
  15. present — the time now
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bear — the animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rock — music
  21. date — the fruit
  22. foot — a measure
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — a division

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