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

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. last — to go on
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rush — hurry
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. squash — to crush
  13. branch — a division
  14. last — final
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. squash — the sport
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — for digging
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. last — finally
  24. hide — animal skin

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