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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — part of the head
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bulb — for light
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bulb — for light
  9. firm — decided
  10. track — a path
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. firm — a company
  14. prune — to trim
  15. race — a contest
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. track — a song
  18. branch — a division
  19. pop — music
  20. track — to keep track
  21. firm — steady
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. prune — to trim

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