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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ground — a position
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. ground — the earth
  6. face — part of the head
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. mug — to rob
  9. branch — a division
  10. mug — a face
  11. ground — crushed
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. face — to confront
  14. mug — a cup
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. board — to get on
  17. craft — boats
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. face — to point toward
  22. board — a committee
  23. craft — a skill
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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