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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: lie · date · mark · band · bore · branch · firm · stick

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. firm — a company
  6. mark — a grade
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. lie — to recline
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. firm — steady
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bore — to drill
  19. firm — decided
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. band — a music group
  24. mark — a trace

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