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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: hide · bulb · lie · ground · branch · rest · vault · straw

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. lie — to recline
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rest — what's left
  6. branch — a division
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ground — a position
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rest — a break
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. ground — the earth
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ground — crushed
  19. rest — what's left
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. vault — a safe
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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