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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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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: wave · lie · pit · club · temple · march · spell · branch

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. lie — to recline
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pit — in a race
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. march — the month
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. club — for golf
  19. spell — letters
  20. march — the month
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for dancing
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a bank

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