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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: object · lie · branch · club · face · pitcher · suit · leaves

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. suit — to fit
  4. club — a group
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. lie — to recline
  8. object — an aim
  9. branch — a division
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — in cards
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. suit — clothes
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. club — for dancing
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. face — to point toward
  23. club — for golf
  24. lie — an untruth

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