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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.

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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: temple · net · branch · deal · straw · mine · season · track

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. season — of the year
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. track — to keep track
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. deal — to handle
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. track — a path
  12. branch — a division
  13. net — in sport
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. season — in sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. mine — for digging
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. net — after costs
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. track — a song
  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