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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.

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: temple · track · branch · snap · hide · rock · straw · spring

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. snap — to click
  5. branch — a division
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. spring — the season
  10. track — to keep track
  11. spring — of water
  12. track — a path
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rock — a stone
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. spring — a coil
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. track — a song
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. branch — of a tree

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