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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cabinet · track · bark · pass · mouse · lie · branch · chair

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. track — to keep track
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bark — to shout
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — a leader
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. lie — to recline

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