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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: bore · rule · branch · lean · stand · swing · land · lie

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. swing — music
  7. land — to come down
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. land — ground
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. branch — a division
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rule — a law
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lie — to recline
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. lean — to bend
  22. swing — to play on
  23. land — a country
  24. rule — government

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