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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stem — to come from
  3. march — the month
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. branch — a division
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. drill — army training
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. drill — the tool
  14. rock — music
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lie — to recline
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. march — the month
  20. drill — a practice
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. march — music
  24. branch — of a tree

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