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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. track — a song
  5. race — a contest
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cue — a signal
  10. race — humankind
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cue — for pool
  15. rule — a law
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cue — a hint
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. race — the arms race
  21. track — a path
  22. rule — government
  23. track — to keep track
  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