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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. track — a path
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. charge — a price
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. squash — the sport
  13. branch — a division
  14. charge — electricity
  15. date — the fruit
  16. squash — to crush
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. charge — in control
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a song
  24. lie — an untruth

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