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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: branch · bowl · rash · mouse · wound · chip · temple · firm

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. firm — a company
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. branch — a division
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. rash — a series
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. wound — an injury
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. chip — for betting
  24. temple — a place of worship

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