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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. tube — the underground
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. season — in sport
  8. face — to confront
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. face — to point toward
  12. track — to keep track
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. tube — a container
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. face — part of the head
  24. craft — a handicraft

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