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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.

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: charge · lean · lie · plane · dip · kid · leaves · branch

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lean — to bend
  6. dip — to sink
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. kid — child
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. charge — a price
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. charge — in control
  17. kid — to tease
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. lie — to recline
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. charge — electricity
  24. branch — a division

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