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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: lash · track · bore · branch · court · march · lie · cue

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. lie — to recline
  3. court — of law
  4. bore — to tire
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. march — the month
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. court — of a king
  11. cue — for pool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. court — for sport
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. track — a song
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. track — to keep track
  18. branch — a division
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. track — a path

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