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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. tear — to rip
  3. firm — steady
  4. content — the amount
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. firm — a company
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. band — a ring
  14. fall — to drop
  15. band — a music group
  16. kick — in football
  17. tear — from crying
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. tear — from crying
  22. firm — decided
  23. branch — a division
  24. content — happy

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