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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — a grade
  5. band — a music group
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. last — to go on
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. last — final
  11. last — finally
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mark — a trace
  14. kick — in football
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. branch — a division
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. kick — a thrill

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