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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.

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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: mark · clip · wave · ruler · rest · mate · branch · lie

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mate — a friend
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rest — a break
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mate — to breed
  11. clip — for paper
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. clip — to cut
  14. branch — a division
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mark — a grade
  18. clip — a video
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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