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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. present — the time now
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. present — a gift
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. swing — in golf
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. face — part of the head
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — music
  16. branch — a division
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. present — there
  21. suit — to fit
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. nail — for a hammer

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