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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
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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 · key · trunk · wound · wave · branch · ground · calf

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. key — for a lock
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. ground — crushed
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wound — an injury
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. key — in music
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. ground — the earth
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. branch — a division
  23. wound — an injury
  24. ground — a position

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