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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. track — a path
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. ground — the earth
  8. face — to point toward
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. branch — a division
  13. ground — a position
  14. face — part of the head
  15. foot — a measure
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. face — to confront
  19. track — a song
  20. ground — crushed
  21. game — a match
  22. track — to keep track
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. game — wild animals

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