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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.

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
468
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: temple · fine · hide · field · root · bear · branch · last

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. root — the cause
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. field — farmland
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. last — final
  10. fine — all right
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. root — of a plant
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. branch — a division
  16. last — to go on
  17. field — a subject
  18. fine — high quality
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. root — of a word
  21. field — for sport
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. last — finally

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