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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. branch — a division
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. clip — a video
  7. bass — low music
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. root — of a plant
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bass — the fish
  12. foot — a measure
  13. clip — for paper
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. root — the cause
  17. clip — to cut
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. root — of a word
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bass — the instrument

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