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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: mate · chip · pound · lie · branch · cabinet · season · ball

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mate — a partner
  5. lie — to recline
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. season — in sport
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. mate — to breed
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. branch — a division
  18. chip — to eat
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mate — a friend
  21. season — of the year
  22. pound — a weight
  23. chip — for betting
  24. ball — a dance

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