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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bank — of a river
  3. hand — help
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. tube — the underground
  6. suit — clothes
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. tube — a container
  10. bank — for money
  11. suit — to fit
  12. squash — the sport
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bank — for money
  16. branch — a division
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. hand — in cards
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. ruler — for measuring

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