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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. track — a path
  3. rest — what's left
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. track — a song
  6. rest — a break
  7. face — to point toward
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. face — part of the head
  15. track — to keep track
  16. branch — a division
  17. rest — what's left
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  24. face — to confront

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