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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: mine · cabinet · branch · calf · suit · wave · fine · temple

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mine — for digging
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. fine — high quality
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. branch — a division
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. branch — of a tree

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