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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bear — the animal
  3. tube — a container
  4. face — to confront
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. object — a thing
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. dip — to sink
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. object — an aim
  12. bark — to shout
  13. face — to point toward
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. object — to protest
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. face — part of the head
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bear — the animal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. nail — for a hammer

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