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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. band — a music group
  4. perch — the fish
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. band — a ring
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bank — for money
  11. season — of the year
  12. suit — clothes
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bank — of a river
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bank — for money
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. suit — to fit
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. suit — in cards

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