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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bass — the fish
  9. file — a line of people
  10. face — part of the head
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. root — the cause
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. file — a document
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bass — low music
  18. face — to confront
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. root — of a word
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bass — the instrument

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