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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: lie · nail · fall · branch · mine · mug · face · perch

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. face — part of the head
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. fall — the season
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. face — to point toward
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mug — a face
  10. lie — to recline
  11. face — to confront
  12. mine — for digging
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fall — to drop
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. branch — a division
  22. perch — the fish
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a cup

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