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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 116 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: hide · branch · hand · saw · vault · mug · lie · pass

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mug — a face
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pass — a permit
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. saw — the tool
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. branch — a division

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