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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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 — to recline
  4. rest — a break
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bank — for money
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. branch — a division
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bank — for money
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bank — of a river
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rule — government
  24. rest — what's left

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