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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. staff — employees
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stand — to bear
  8. branch — a division
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. toast — bread
  15. staff — employees
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. saw — the tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. face — to confront
  24. saw — the tool

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