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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bank — for money
  3. face — to confront
  4. bank — of a river
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bark — to shout
  11. land — ground
  12. bass — low music
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. land — to come down
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bank — for money
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. land — a country
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. face — to point toward
  24. lie — an untruth

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