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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: rush · branch · lie · calf · mark · stand · temple · game

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mark — a trace
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. game — wild animals
  12. lie — to recline
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. branch — a division
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stand — to bear
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — a grade

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