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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — part of the head
  5. tube — a container
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fork — in a road
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. deal — to handle
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a document
  18. lie — to recline
  19. tube — the underground
  20. file — a tool
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bear — the animal
  23. face — to confront
  24. branch — a division

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