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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. face — to confront
  4. can — to be able to
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. branch — a division
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — a coil
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. spring — of water
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rule — a law
  18. can — a tin
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rule — government
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. deal — an agreement

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