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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: plane · safe · clip · bark · stand · branch · roll · temple

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. branch — a division
  3. bark — to shout
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. clip — to cut
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. roll — a list
  11. plane — a tool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. clip — a video
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. roll — a cake
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. clip — for paper

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