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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. can — a tin
  2. charge — a price
  3. track — a path
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. band — a ring
  8. charge — in control
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. charge — electricity
  11. track — a song
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. branch — a division
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lie — to recline
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. band — a music group
  23. pitch — completely
  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