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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stock — goods
  3. face — to point toward
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. branch — a division
  6. mug — a face
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. face — part of the head
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mug — to rob
  11. track — a path
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stock — shares
  18. perch — the fish
  19. track — a song
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. face — to confront
  22. mug — a cup
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. track — to keep track

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