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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. present — the time now
  3. deal — to handle
  4. lie — to recline
  5. hand — in cards
  6. branch — a division
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. chest — a box
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. hand — help
  21. game — a match
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. mate — a friend
  24. chest — of your body

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