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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: ball · mate · pound · temple · coach · root · branch · leaves

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — a partner
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. ball — a great time
  8. root — the cause
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. branch — a division
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pound — a weight
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mate — to breed
  21. root — of a plant
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. root — of a word
  24. coach — a trainer

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