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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. vault — a safe
  4. cold — not warm
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cold — an illness
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rock — a stone
  13. face — to point toward
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. rock — music
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. land — ground

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