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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 124 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. branch — a division
  8. face — to point toward
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. mark — a grade
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pass — a permit
  17. face — to confront
  18. bound — certain
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. mark — a trace
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. wax — to grow
  23. toast — bread
  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