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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.

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: charge · branch · stick · wake · march · nail · wave · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. march — the month
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lie — to recline
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. charge — in control
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. branch — a division
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. charge — a price
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. charge — electricity
  19. march — the month
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wake — a trail
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. march — music

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