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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: lie · nail · tear · chair · branch · mouse · pitcher · pass

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. tear — from crying
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. tear — to rip

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