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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. can — a tin
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. can — a tin
  5. branch — a division
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. face — to confront
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rash — a series
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pitch — completely
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. rash — hasty
  23. can — to be able to
  24. perch — for a bird

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