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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: drill · board · bulb · face · bear · pass · branch · lie

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. face — to point toward
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pass — a permit
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. board — to get on
  11. branch — a division
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. drill — the tool
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bear — the animal
  17. face — part of the head
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. face — to confront
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bear — the animal
  22. drill — a practice
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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