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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: rush · land · branch · lie · wax · hide · bulb · craft

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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. hide — to keep secret
  4. branch — a division
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. craft — boats
  7. land — ground
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. land — a country
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. land — to come down
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bulb — for light
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bulb — for light
  24. craft — a handicraft

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