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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  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. branch — a division
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. saw — the tool
  4. board — to get on
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lean — to bend
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pound — a weight
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. board — a committee
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rock — music
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. face — part of the head
  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