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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: safe · racket · straw · cue · stem · content · temple · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. branch — a division
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. content — the amount
  10. cue — for pool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stem — to come from
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cue — a signal
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cue — a hint
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. content — happy
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. temple — side of the head

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