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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 120 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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. chest — a box
  3. face — to confront
  4. chest — of your body
  5. can — a tin
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bank — for money
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pound — a weight
  12. can — a tin
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bank — of a river
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. branch — a division
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pound — to hit hard

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