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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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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: coach · season · cap · pit · temple · branch · rash · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rash — a series
  4. pit — in a race
  5. cap — of ice
  6. season — of the year
  7. pit — a hole
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rash — hasty
  10. branch — a division
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. season — in sport
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. cap — a hat
  24. branch — of a tree

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