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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.

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: squash · branch · band · roll · rash · pit · chest · temple

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. roll — a list
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rash — hasty
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. chest — of your body
  11. band — a ring
  12. pit — in a race
  13. chest — of your body
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. band — a music group
  17. roll — a cake
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. squash — the sport
  20. branch — a division
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. squash — to crush
  24. temple — a place of worship

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