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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. net — in sport
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. lie — to recline
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — in music
  10. chair — a leader
  11. ground — the earth
  12. net — for catching
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. scale — size or range
  15. board — a committee
  16. net — after costs
  17. branch — a division
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. board — to get on
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lie — an untruth

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