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

Word bank: lash · pitch · temple · stem · kick · hide · rule · branch

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rule — government
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. branch — a division
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. kick — in football
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rule — a law
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitch — a sports field

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