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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. face — to point toward
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. scale — in music
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lean — to bend
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. face — to confront
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lean — thin
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. branch — a division
  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