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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
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: wake · craft · lie · mouse · branch · pass · mate · rash

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mate — a friend
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mate — to breed
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rash — a series
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rash — hasty
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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