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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: branch · root · wind · rock · suit · lash · temple · season

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. root — of a plant
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. season — in sport
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. season — of the year
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. root — of a word
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. root — the cause
  24. wind — moving air

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