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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: bound · branch · track · toast · bay · rule · degree · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. degree — an amount
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bound — tied together
  11. track — to keep track
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. track — a song
  16. rule — a law
  17. track — a path
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. toast — bread
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. rule — government
  23. bound — certain
  24. bay — a horse colour

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