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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. suit — clothes
  4. face — to confront
  5. mine — for digging
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. face — part of the head
  8. board — a committee
  9. chest — a box
  10. face — to point toward
  11. branch — a division
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. cell — in biology
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. suit — in cards
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mine — belonging to me

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