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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. saw — the tool
  6. face — part of the head
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. face — to point toward
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. saw — the tool
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. branch — a division
  16. sharp — clever
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lie — to recline
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. face — to confront
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. safe — a strongbox

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