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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. squash — the sport
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bank — of a river
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. face — to confront
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. drill — the tool
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stand — to bear
  16. drill — a practice
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. face — to point toward
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. drill — army training
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rock — a stone

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