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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: fine · bank · board · capital · mine · branch · lie · toast

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bank — for money
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. capital — money
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bank — for money
  14. branch — a division
  15. bank — of a river
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. fine — all right
  18. board — a committee
  19. fine — high quality
  20. capital — a city
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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