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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bulb — for light
  7. shower — rain
  8. mark — a grade
  9. branch — a division
  10. face — to confront
  11. bulb — for light
  12. march — the month
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. march — music
  17. march — the month
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. present — a gift
  24. branch — of a bank

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