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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. board — to get on
  3. face — to confront
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. face — part of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pound — a weight
  8. spell — a short time
  9. face — to point toward
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. branch — a division
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. spell — magic
  19. can — a tin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. spell — letters
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bulb — for light

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