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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rash — a series
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. wake — a trail
  9. pop — music
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pop — to visit
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. branch — a division
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mark — a trace
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pop — soda
  24. rash — hasty

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