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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rock — a stone
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. face — to point toward
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rock — music
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. track — a song
  14. face — to confront
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. track — a path
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fan — a supporter
  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