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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 · stick · wound · lie · mate · bowl · hide · clip

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. branch — a division
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. clip — a video
  11. clip — to cut
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wound — an injury
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. clip — for paper
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mate — a friend
  24. wound — an injury

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