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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. club — a group
  4. last — final
  5. mug — a face
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. firm — decided
  9. lean — thin
  10. last — finally
  11. club — for dancing
  12. lean — to bend
  13. club — for golf
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mug — to rob
  17. firm — steady
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. firm — a company
  20. last — to go on
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bound — tied together
  24. wake — before a funeral

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