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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 · branch · stand · temple · tube · bass · kid · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bass — low music
  3. branch — a division
  4. bound — tied together
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. bass — the fish
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bound — obliged
  19. tube — the underground
  20. kid — to tease
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. kid — child
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. temple — a place of worship

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