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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. content — happy
  8. content — the amount
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. branch — a division
  17. fall — the season
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mine — for digging
  21. can — a tin
  22. cue — a hint
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ruler — a monarch

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