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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: perch · branch · charge · key · season · lie · bound · stick

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. key — for a lock
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. key — the most important part
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bound — obliged
  10. key — in music
  11. charge — in control
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. season — in sport
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bound — certain
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. branch — a division
  19. season — of the year
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. charge — a price
  24. bound — tied together

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