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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 · plane · mate · pop · branch · shower · rock · coach

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. mate — a partner
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mate — a friend
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rock — a stone
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. plane — a tool
  13. lie — to recline
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pop — music
  17. rock — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. branch — a division
  21. pop — to visit
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. branch — of a bank

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