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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: branch · spell · object · arm · cell · stand · pound · lie

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. spell — letters
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. object — to protest
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. lie — to recline
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cell — a phone
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. lie — an untruth

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