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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: lie · wax · face · club · dip · branch · ball · safe

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. face — to point toward
  4. club — for golf
  5. wax — to grow
  6. branch — a division
  7. ball — a great time
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. club — a group
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. face — part of the head
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. face — to confront
  22. lie — to recline
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. club — for dancing

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