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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 120 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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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: content · fall · pass · branch · lean · firm · hide · mine

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mine — for digging
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. branch — a division
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. firm — steady
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. fall — to drop
  19. lean — to bend
  20. content — the amount
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. content — happy
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lean — thin

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