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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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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 · bay · bank · last · branch · saw · can · drill

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. can — to be able to
  9. branch — a division
  10. can — a tin
  11. lie — to recline
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. last — finally
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. last — final
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. last — to go on
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — army training
  22. saw — the tool
  23. can — a tin
  24. branch — of a bank

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