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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: lie · bank · clip · mouse · squash · lean

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bank — of a river
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bank — for money
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. lean — thin
  10. clip — to cut
  11. lean — to bend
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — a video
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bank — for money

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