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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: lean · nail · firm · branch · wax · temple · mate · bark

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lean — to bend
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. firm — decided
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. firm — steady
  12. bark — to shout
  13. firm — a company
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mate — a partner
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lean — thin
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mate — a friend

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