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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
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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: club · mark · branch · calf · mine · firm · lie · hide

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. firm — steady
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. mark — a trace
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. club — a group
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. club — for dancing
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. firm — decided
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. club — for golf
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. branch — a division
  18. lie — to recline
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mine — for digging
  21. firm — a company
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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