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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. branch — a division
  5. key — in music
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. capital — a city
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. dip — to sink
  13. key — for a lock
  14. capital — money
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lie — to recline
  19. key — the most important part
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. wound — an injury

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