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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.

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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
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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 · bass · can · mate · fine · trunk · cell

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. branch — a division
  7. mate — a partner
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mate — to breed
  11. fine — all right
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fine — high quality
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bass — the fish
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. can — a tin
  21. mate — a friend
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. can — a tin

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