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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: mouse · mark · net · chair · branch · face · mug · temple

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mug — to rob
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. face — to confront
  5. net — for catching
  6. chair — a leader
  7. net — in sport
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. net — after costs
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. branch — a division
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. mark — a grade
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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