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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. face — part of the head
  4. current — electric
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. branch — a division
  10. bore — to drill
  11. pitch — completely
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. row — to paddle
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. current — of water
  20. current — happening now
  21. row — a line
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — of a tree

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