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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · branch · tube · lash · calf · fan · pound · game

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. 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. lash — an eyelash
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pound — a weight
  8. branch — a division
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. game — a match
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. game — wild animals
  17. tube — a container
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. tube — the underground
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. 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