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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lie — to recline
  3. club — a group
  4. field — farmland
  5. club — for golf
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. field — a subject
  8. bore — to drill
  9. chip — for betting
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. field — for sport
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. branch — a division
  15. firm — steady
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. bore — to tire
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. cue — a signal

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