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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. saw — the tool
  4. face — to confront
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pop — to visit
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. fine — all right
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rock — a stone
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pop — soda
  13. branch — a division
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pop — music
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rock — music
  22. fine — high quality
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — part of the head

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