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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.

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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: mug · bowl · firm · lie · rush · wave · cap · branch

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. firm — steady
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. lie — to recline
  12. branch — a division
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mug — to rob
  15. firm — a company
  16. mug — a cup
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cap — a hat
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. firm — decided
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cap — of ice

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