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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
468
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: patient · rest · branch · bark · hand · mug · temple · vault

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. vault — a safe
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rest — a break
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mug — a face
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bark — to shout
  14. branch — a division
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mug — a cup
  18. hand — in cards
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. hand — help
  21. rest — what's left
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bark — of a tree

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