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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 124 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. face — to confront
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. board — to get on
  10. bark — to shout
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. lie — to recline
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. stand — to bear

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