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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 120 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: branch · court · stick · lash · prune · shower · lie · charge

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. charge — electricity
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. prune — to trim
  7. shower — to wash
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. court — of a king
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. charge — a price
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. branch — a division
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. charge — in control

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