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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bank — for money
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. face — to confront
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bank — of a river
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bear — the animal
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. branch — a division
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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