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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. branch — a division
  4. cue — a hint
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. firm — steady
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. cue — for pool
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bass — the fish
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wound — an injury
  16. hand — in cards
  17. firm — a company
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. chip — to eat
  21. cue — a signal
  22. firm — decided
  23. bass — low music
  24. branch — of a bank

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