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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rash — a series
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bank — for money
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bank — for money
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rash — hasty
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim

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