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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: pitch · branch · bass · content · temple · object · rule · shower

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. object — to protest
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. shower — rain
  10. rule — government
  11. content — the amount
  12. bass — low music
  13. content — happy
  14. branch — a division
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. object — a thing
  17. pitch — completely
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bass — the fish
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. object — an aim
  24. shower — to wash

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