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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. march — music
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mug — a face
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. suit — clothes
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. suit — in cards
  10. staff — employees
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. face — to confront
  14. cell — a phone
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. face — to point toward
  17. staff — employees
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. deal — to handle
  21. branch — a division
  22. cell — in biology
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. staff — a stick

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