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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 124 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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. lie — to recline
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. date — the fruit
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fall — to drop
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fall — the season
  13. deal — to handle
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — of water
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. craft — boats
  21. current — electric
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. fall — to drop

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