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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. branch — a division
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rush — hurry
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. suit — clothes
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. face — to point toward
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. face — to confront
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. suit — to fit
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. game — a match
  20. can — to be able to
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — size or range
  23. face — part of the head
  24. scale — in music

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