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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 120 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: branch · lie · root · bear · bulb · temple · swing · tube

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. swing — to play on
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bulb — for light
  9. tube — a container
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. branch — a division
  12. lie — to recline
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. bear — the animal
  18. swing — music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. swing — in golf
  23. root — of a word
  24. bulb — for light

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