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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. lie — to recline
  4. net — after costs
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — to fit
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. suit — in cards
  14. net — for catching
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. branch — a division
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — clothes
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. roll — a list
  22. roll — a cake
  23. net — in sport
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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