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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: snap · racket · pop · branch · bank · lie · stick · temple

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. snap — to click
  9. bank — for money
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pop — to visit
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pop — music
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pop — soda
  23. lie — to recline
  24. racket — for tennis

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