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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. lean — thin
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. chip — for betting
  7. face — to point toward
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. face — part of the head
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. face — to confront
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. branch — a division
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. nail — for a hammer

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