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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 · bark · pop · wake · trunk · temple · lie · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bark — to shout
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. swing — music
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pop — soda
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pop — music
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. swing — to play on
  23. pop — to visit
  24. wake — a trail

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