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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: track · date · rest · branch · mug · firm · temple · game

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. rest — a break
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. firm — decided
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. game — wild animals
  8. rest — what's left
  9. track — a path
  10. firm — a company
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a song
  13. firm — steady
  14. rest — what's left
  15. game — a match
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mug — a cup
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. branch — a division

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