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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — clever
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. suit — in cards
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. suit — clothes
  19. face — to point toward
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. net — for catching
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mouse — the animal

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