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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: saw · snap · capital · arm · can · bear · temple · branch

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. saw — the tool
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. capital — a city
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bear — the animal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. bear — the animal
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. snap — to click

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