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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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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  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. ground — the earth
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. mate — a partner
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stand — to bear
  8. ground — crushed
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mate — to breed
  11. stock — goods
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. rock — music
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. face — to point toward
  20. ground — a position
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mate — a friend
  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