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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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rock — a stone
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. content — the amount
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — in cards
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rock — music
  15. kick — in football
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. branch — a division
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. lie — to recline
  21. sharp — clever
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. content — happy

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