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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
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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 · lie · wound · rock · charge · temple · wake · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. branch — a division
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. charge — in control
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rock — music
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. snap — to click
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wake — a trail
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wound — an injury
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. charge — a price

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