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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. face — to confront
  3. pit — a hole
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bound — certain
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bound — tied together
  8. pit — in a race
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. tear — to rip
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. tear — from crying
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stem — to come from
  22. branch — a division
  23. can — a tin
  24. bound — obliged

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