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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. branch — a division
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. charge — a price
  9. bat — the animal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. foot — a measure
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. charge — in control
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. charge — electricity
  20. deal — to handle
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — a grade

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