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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. march — music
  8. face — part of the head
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stock — goods
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. face — to point toward
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. march — the month
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stock — shares
  23. branch — a division
  24. march — the month

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