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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 116 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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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: suit · tear · mark · branch · bank · stand · stick · lie

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  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. branch — of a bank
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. lie — to recline
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. tear — to rip
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. suit — to fit
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bank — for money
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bank — for money
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bank — of a river
  21. branch — a division
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stand — on your feet
  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