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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. net — for catching
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. face — to confront
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. saw — the tool
  10. face — to point toward
  11. net — in sport
  12. face — part of the head
  13. saw — the tool
  14. net — after costs
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. branch — a division
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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