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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  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. bank — of a river
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fork — in a road
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. face — part of the head
  11. march — the month
  12. bank — for money
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bank — for money
  23. stem — to come from
  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