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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: foot · craft · file · key · branch · wound · date · face

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. face — to point toward
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. face — to confront
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wound — an injury
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. face — part of the head
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a tool
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. date — the fruit
  22. key — the most important part
  23. foot — a measure
  24. wound — an injury

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