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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: temple · can · content · branch · ball · wave · hand · rock

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. ball — a dance
  2. branch — a division
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. hand — in cards
  8. can — a tin
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rock — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. hand — help
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. content — the amount
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rock — a stone
  21. content — happy
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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