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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. track — a path
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. face — to point toward
  14. branch — a division
  15. fall — to drop
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. track — a song
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pit — in a race
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — a hole
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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