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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. season — in sport
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. land — ground
  5. land — to come down
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. season — of the year
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. swing — music
  13. staff — employees
  14. swing — in golf
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. swing — to play on
  19. land — a country
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. staff — a stick
  22. foot — a measure
  23. staff — employees
  24. lie — to recline

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