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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 116 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: lie · trunk · fall · stem · bank · pitcher · dip · wound

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bank — for money
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bank — for money
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fall — the season
  16. bank — of a river
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fall — to drop
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stem — to come from
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. fall — to drop

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