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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 bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. key — for a lock
  3. face — part of the head
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. key — in music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. tube — a container
  8. face — to confront
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chest — of your body
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. tube — the underground
  21. chest — of your body
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. chest — a box

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