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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lie — to recline
  6. content — the amount
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pass — a permit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — a signal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. content — happy
  24. chair — a professorship

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