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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 116 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. ground — the earth
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. face — to confront
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. dip — to sink
  14. face — part of the head
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. kid — to tease
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. ground — crushed
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. ground — a position
  24. kid — child

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