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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  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. safe — out of danger
  3. can — a tin
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. wind — moving air
  7. can — a tin
  8. land — to come down
  9. face — to point toward
  10. land — a country
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. land — ground
  16. wind — moving air
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. can — to be able to
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. branch — a division
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. face — to confront
  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