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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 120 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. swing — music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. swing — to play on
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. swing — in golf
  15. tube — a container
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. lie — to recline
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. tube — the underground
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. tube — in a tire

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