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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wound — an injury
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lie — to recline
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. wound — an injury
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. staff — a stick
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. staff — employees
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. staff — employees
  19. ball — a dance
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — a division

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