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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. ground — a position
  6. face — to confront
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kid — child
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hand — in cards
  17. kid — to tease
  18. face — to point toward
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. face — part of the head
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. hand — help

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