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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.

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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: lie · rock · deal · season · ground · branch · temple · pitcher

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ground — crushed
  3. season — of the year
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. branch — a division
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rock — music
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ground — a position
  22. season — in sport
  23. ground — the earth
  24. branch — of a bank

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