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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: suit · charge · branch · lie · bank · prune · hide · march

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lie — to recline
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bank — for money
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bank — of a river
  11. march — the month
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. march — the month
  15. branch — a division
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bank — for money
  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