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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 · bore · kick · pitch · rock · temple · lie · bay

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rock — music
  11. bore — to drill
  12. branch — a division
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rock — a stone
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rock — to move gently

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