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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rest · branch · spell · pass · date · lie · chip · trunk

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. chip — to eat
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. spell — letters
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. spell — magic
  20. pass — a permit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rest — what's left
  23. date — the fruit
  24. spell — a short time

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