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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: branch · lean · temple · cue · pit · kick · charge · lash

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. branch — a division
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pit — in a race
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. charge — a price
  10. cue — for pool
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pit — a hole
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. lean — thin
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. charge — in control
  18. cue — a signal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lean — to bend
  24. temple — a place of worship

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