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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.

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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: branch · mouse · lie · club · fall · suit · board · ball

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — to fit
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. club — a group
  10. branch — a division
  11. board — to get on
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — for dancing
  14. ball — a great time
  15. suit — clothes
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. lie — to recline
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fall — to drop
  24. branch — of a tree

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