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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: lie · branch · suit · bulb · staff · coach · scale · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. branch — a division
  3. bulb — for light
  4. scale — in music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. suit — clothes
  21. scale — size or range
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. staff — employees
  24. lie — to recline

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