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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mate — a friend
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. face — part of the head
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. face — to confront
  11. mate — to breed
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mate — a partner
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. game — a match
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. game — wild animals
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. face — to point toward
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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