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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. deal — to handle
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. pass — a permit
  7. branch — a division
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — a box
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. can — to be able to
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — in a race
  24. deal — a big deal

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