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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. face — to point toward
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. can — a tin
  9. bank — for money
  10. face — part of the head
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. club — for dancing
  15. can — a tin
  16. club — for golf
  17. can — to be able to
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. season — of the year
  20. club — a group
  21. bank — of a river
  22. swing — music
  23. branch — a division
  24. swing — to play on

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