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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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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: temple · branch · pound · press · lash · capital · kid · club

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. press — newspapers
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. press — a publisher
  8. branch — a division
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. capital — money
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. club — for dancing
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. club — for golf
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — a weight
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. club — a group
  21. capital — a city
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. press — to push
  24. temple — side of the head

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