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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.

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 · branch · key · stick · cue · shower · fan · bass

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. cue — for pool
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bass — low music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. key — for a lock
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. branch — a division
  16. bass — the fish
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. key — in music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. key — the most important part

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