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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bat — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. wound — an injury
  6. staff — employees
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. branch — a division
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. charge — electricity
  22. staff — a stick
  23. rest — what's left
  24. staff — employees

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