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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. craft — boats
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. face — to confront
  5. scale — in music
  6. face — to point toward
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. swing — music
  9. face — part of the head
  10. swing — in golf
  11. craft — a skill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bear — the animal
  17. degree — from a university
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. degree — an amount
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. branch — a division

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