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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rock — music
  4. branch — a division
  5. capital — a city
  6. track — a song
  7. track — a path
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. net — after costs
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. capital — money
  18. net — in sport
  19. cue — a signal
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. net — for catching
  24. cue — a hint

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