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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: rest · face · pit · firm · mark · mug · branch · fan

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. mark — a grade
  3. face — to point toward
  4. firm — a company
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mug — a face
  11. firm — decided
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. rest — a break
  15. firm — steady
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mug — a cup
  18. face — to confront
  19. pit — a hole
  20. mug — to rob
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pit — in a race

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