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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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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: branch · dip · safe · lie · bark · stick · rash · stem

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bark — to shout
  3. dip — to sink
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rash — hasty
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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