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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: lie · branch · stock · suit · lash · cold · date · leaves

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. stock — shares
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. cold — not warm
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cold — an illness
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. branch — a division
  18. date — the fruit
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. branch — of a tree

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