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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.

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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: trunk · tube · bank · mate · lean · sharp · lie · pitcher

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bank — for money
  7. mate — to breed
  8. tube — the underground
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bank — of a river
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. tube — a container
  21. lean — thin
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bank — for money

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