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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 · temple · kick · bark · cabinet · band · lie · swing

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. swing — to play on
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. swing — in golf
  7. kick — in football
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. band — a ring
  12. branch — a division
  13. band — a music group
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — to shout
  22. swing — music
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. band — a rubber band

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