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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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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 · pitcher · kid · ruler · bowl · fork · pit · temple

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. kid — to tease
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. branch — a division
  16. kid — child
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. ruler — for measuring

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