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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: suit · lie · mine · squash · branch · rash · clip · firm

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. suit — clothes
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. branch — a division
  7. clip — a video
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. clip — to cut
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. firm — steady
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mine — for digging
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. squash — to crush
  18. firm — decided
  19. squash — the sport
  20. rash — a series
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — a company
  23. clip — for paper
  24. rash — hasty

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