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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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. lie — an untruth
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — to shout
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ball — a great time
  12. last — final
  13. net — for catching
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. can — a tin
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. can — a tin
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — finally
  20. can — to be able to
  21. net — in sport
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. net — after costs

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