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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  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 — part of the head
  2. suit — in cards
  3. deal — to handle
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. face — to confront
  9. cold — not warm
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. vault — a safe
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. branch — a division
  14. face — to point toward
  15. lie — to recline
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cold — an illness
  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