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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. hand — help
  3. chip — for betting
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. charge — in control
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — part of the head
  19. charge — a price
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chip — to eat
  22. hand — in cards
  23. prune — to trim
  24. face — to confront

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