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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. present — there
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. branch — a division
  7. face — to confront
  8. bank — for money
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mark — a grade
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bank — for money
  13. board — a committee
  14. face — part of the head
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. present — the time now
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. board — to get on
  23. present — a gift
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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