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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. key — for a lock
  6. face — to confront
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. key — in music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mate — a friend
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mate — a partner
  22. branch — a division
  23. rock — music
  24. face — to point toward

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