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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. branch — a division
  4. pop — to visit
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. cap — of ice
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. cap — a lid
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pop — soda
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cap — a hat
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. firm — steady
  16. chip — to eat
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. rash — a series
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pop — music
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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