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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 116 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — a division
  3. face — to confront
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — to bend
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. suit — to fit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. suit — clothes
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cell — in biology
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cell — a phone
  23. lean — thin
  24. suit — in cards

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