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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. face — part of the head
  4. mug — a cup
  5. branch — a division
  6. file — a document
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. face — to confront
  10. file — a line of people
  11. mug — a face
  12. swing — to play on
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. face — to point toward
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. swing — music
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pass — a permit
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. fork — in a road
  23. swing — in golf
  24. file — a tool

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