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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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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: drill · calf · chest · net · branch · current · dip · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  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. chest — of your body
  3. dip — to sink
  4. net — after costs
  5. chest — a box
  6. net — for catching
  7. current — of water
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. current — happening now
  10. branch — a division
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. drill — a practice
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. current — electric
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. drill — army training
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. net — in sport
  19. drill — the tool
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. chest — of your body
  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