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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 120 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ground — the earth
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rest — a break
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. rest — what's left
  10. present — a gift
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. present — the time now
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ground — a position
  19. face — part of the head
  20. ground — crushed
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. present — there
  23. perch — the fish
  24. face — to confront

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