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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 116 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pit — a hole
  3. face — to confront
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mug — a cup
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. face — part of the head
  10. firm — decided
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mug — a face
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. branch — a division
  22. firm — a company
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. firm — steady

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