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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. branch — a division
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. face — to confront
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. chip — for betting
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. face — to point toward
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — to eat
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. leaves — of a tree

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