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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mug — a face
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. branch — a division
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mug — to rob
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mug — a cup
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lie — to recline
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — a tool
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. branch — of a bank

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