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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: calf · bound · mine · bay · branch · lie · fine · temple

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fine — all right
  4. lie — to recline
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. fine — high quality
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — certain
  16. branch — a division
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bound — obliged

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