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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 116 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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. lean — to bend
  10. swing — music
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rule — a law
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. swing — in golf
  17. lean — thin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. swing — to play on
  23. rule — government
  24. deal — to handle

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