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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: present · lash · arm · court · temple · mug · branch · track

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mug — to rob
  4. present — a gift
  5. branch — a division
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. track — a path
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. court — of a king
  11. mug — a cup
  12. court — for sport
  13. track — a song
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. track — to keep track
  18. present — there
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. mug — a face
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. present — the time now
  24. court — of law

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