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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fine — high quality
  5. lie — to recline
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — moving air
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fine — all right
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. hand — part of the body

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