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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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. branch — a division
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. wind — moving air
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. lean — thin
  10. prune — to trim
  11. can — a tin
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pit — in a race
  16. can — a tin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wind — moving air
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lean — to bend
  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