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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. branch — a division
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. mark — a grade
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. face — to point toward

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