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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · kid · can · wax · lie · branch

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. 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. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. can — a tin
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. kid — to tease
  10. can — to be able to
  11. kid — child
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. can — a tin
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. 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