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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — of your body
  5. tube — the underground
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. branch — a division
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. foot — a measure
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pass — a permit
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tube — a container
  18. lie — to recline
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bear — the animal

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