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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. key — in music
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bank — for money
  14. key — the most important part
  15. content — happy
  16. bound — tied together
  17. content — the amount
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mine — for digging
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. key — for a lock

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