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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. lie — to recline
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. plane — a tool
  6. branch — a division
  7. pass — a permit
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chest — a box
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. chest — of your body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. fork — in a road
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. kick — in football

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