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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. kick — in football
  3. current — of water
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. prune — to trim
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. current — happening now
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. stem — to come from
  16. prune — to trim
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. current — electric
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bark — to shout
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wax — to grow
  24. lie — to recline

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