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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: shower · leaves · chip · mug · branch · lie · calf · mouse

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. shower — rain
  6. branch — a division
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lie — to recline
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. shower — to wash
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — a cup
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. mug — to rob
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. calf — a young animal

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