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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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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: racket · rest · fork · ball · branch · bear · firm · temple

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. branch — a division
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. firm — a company
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ball — a great time
  14. firm — decided
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rest — what's left
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rest — a break
  24. firm — steady

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