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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. branch — a division
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. toast — bread
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. cue — a signal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. tube — a container
  10. cue — for pool
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lean — to bend
  14. tube — the underground
  15. track — a song
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. track — a path
  18. lie — to recline
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pound — a weight
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. lean — thin
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — to hit hard

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