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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 · deal · lie · suit · branch · club · band · wound

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. branch — a division
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. club — for dancing
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. band — a ring
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. suit — in cards
  17. club — a group
  18. band — a music group
  19. wound — an injury
  20. club — for golf
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. suit — clothes
  24. hide — to keep secret

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