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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. present — a gift
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. present — the time now
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. present — there
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. lie — to recline
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stem — to come from

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