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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: branch · rest · net · staff · object · temple · chair · club

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. object — a thing
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. object — an aim
  6. club — a group
  7. object — to protest
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. club — for golf
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. club — for dancing
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. staff — a stick
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. net — for catching
  16. branch — a division
  17. net — in sport
  18. staff — employees
  19. rest — what's left
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. staff — employees
  22. chair — a leader
  23. net — after costs
  24. rest — a break

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