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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.

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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: branch · can · bay · staff · object · cue · land · temple

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. cue — a signal
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. can — a tin
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. branch — a division
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. land — ground
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. object — a thing
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. object — an aim
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. temple — side of the head

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