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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · object · squash · pit · toast · face

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. 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. toast — bread
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. face — to point toward
  5. object — an aim
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pit — a hole
  12. branch — a division
  13. pit — in a race
  14. object — a thing
  15. face — part of the head
  16. object — to protest
  17. squash — the sport
  18. 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