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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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. present — a gift
  3. pass — a permit
  4. present — there
  5. branch — a division
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. file — a tool
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. present — the time now
  13. file — a document
  14. pitch — completely
  15. kid — child
  16. lie — to recline
  17. kid — to tease
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. file — a line of people
  22. cue — a signal
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. lie — an untruth

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