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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cold — not warm
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bank — for money
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cold — an illness
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. face — to point toward
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. branch — a division
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bank — for money
  18. swing — to play on
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. lie — to recline
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to succeed

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