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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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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: roll · wake · temple · lie · object · hide · rock · branch

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. roll — a cake
  3. lie — to recline
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rock — music
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. roll — a list
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rock — a stone
  11. object — a thing
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. object — to protest
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — a trail
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. object — an aim
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a bank

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