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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: mate · lie · trunk · bank · nail · wound · bass · leaves

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mate — a friend
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mate — a partner
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wound — an injury
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bass — the fish
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bank — for money
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bank — for money
  18. bass — low music
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. lie — to recline
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mate — to breed
  24. trunk — of a tree

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