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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 · cap · can · court · object · lie · present

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. spell — magic
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spell — a short time
  5. court — of a king
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. can — a tin
  8. present — the time now
  9. court — for sport
  10. present — there
  11. object — a thing
  12. branch — a division
  13. cap — of ice
  14. court — of law
  15. object — an aim
  16. cap — a lid
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. object — to protest
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. can — a tin
  21. spell — letters
  22. present — a gift
  23. cap — a hat
  24. can — to be able to

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