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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.

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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. firm — decided
  7. branch — a division
  8. firm — steady
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. key — for a lock
  12. lie — to recline
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. key — in music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rash — a series
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — all right
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. key — the most important part

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