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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bass — low music
  8. bore — to tire
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bore — to drill
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. toast — bread
  19. bass — the fish
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fall — to drop

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