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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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · suit · drill · ground · pound · lie · stem · branch

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. drill — the tool
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. fine — high quality
  6. ground — the earth
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. fine — all right
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pound — a weight
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ground — crushed
  24. suit — in cards

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