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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.

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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: bass · mine · rock · branch · lie · drill · deal · cue

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. drill — the tool
  5. branch — a division
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mine — for digging
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. cue — a signal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bass — the fish
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cue — for pool
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — a hint
  21. drill — army training
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rock — a stone

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