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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. track — a path
  5. bass — the fish
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. kick — in football
  9. track — a song
  10. bass — low music
  11. row — a line
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. row — to paddle
  14. foot — a measure
  15. branch — a division
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. lie — to recline
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. foot — part of the body

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