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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · coach · fine · snap · mate · band · lie · branch

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. fine — all right
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. branch — a division
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mate — to breed
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. lie — to recline
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. snap — to click
  17. mate — a friend
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. scale — in music
  20. mate — a partner
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a ring
  24. fine — high quality

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