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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. branch — a division
  4. foot — a measure
  5. stock — goods
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. present — there
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. firm — steady
  13. face — part of the head
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. present — the time now
  17. face — to confront
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. present — a gift
  20. stock — shares
  21. firm — a company
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. firm — decided
  24. fork — in a road

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