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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: face · mug · stick · fine · date · nail · branch · perch

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. face — part of the head
  4. perch — the fish
  5. face — to confront
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. face — to point toward
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. branch — a division
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — all right
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. date — the fruit
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mug — to rob
  24. nail — for a hammer

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