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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: root · vault · rest · saw · fall · swing · branch · temple

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. saw — the tool
  4. root — of a word
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. root — the cause
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fall — to drop
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — a division
  12. fall — to drop
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fall — the season
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. swing — music
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rest — what's left
  19. saw — the tool
  20. root — of a plant
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rest — what's left
  23. swing — in golf
  24. rest — a break

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