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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.

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: squash · kick · lie · bear · leaves · ball · row · branch

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. squash — the sport
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. kick — in football
  10. ball — a dance
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. row — a line
  13. branch — a division
  14. lie — to recline
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. squash — to crush

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