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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. branch — a division
  3. fall — to drop
  4. scale — in music
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. firm — steady
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. sharp — clever
  10. firm — decided
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. firm — a company
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fall — to drop
  16. face — part of the head
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — to point toward
  24. fall — the season

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