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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bulb — for light
  7. branch — a division
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. net — in sport
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. net — after costs
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bound — certain
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. net — for catching
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mark — a trace

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