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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. club — a group
  5. current — of water
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stand — to bear
  8. current — happening now
  9. race — a contest
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. season — of the year
  12. race — humankind
  13. current — electric
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. race — the arms race
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pound — a weight
  21. club — for golf
  22. lie — to recline
  23. season — in sport
  24. lie — an untruth

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