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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: rash · track · lean · temple · club · stand · racket · branch

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rash — a series
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. club — for golf
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stand — to bear
  14. branch — a division
  15. track — a path
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. track — a song
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. club — a group
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rash — hasty
  22. club — for dancing
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. track — to keep track

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