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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: temple · ball · lean · straw · capital · bank · safe · branch

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. lean — to bend
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. capital — a city
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. lean — thin
  14. bank — for money
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bank — for money
  18. ball — a dance
  19. capital — money
  20. branch — a division
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. ball — a great time
  23. safe — out of danger
  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