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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: key · fork · march · face · branch · sharp · craft · foot

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. craft — boats
  4. key — for a lock
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fork — in a road
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. foot — a measure
  10. march — music
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. face — to confront
  13. march — the month
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. face — part of the head
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. key — in music
  22. branch — a division
  23. sharp — clever
  24. march — the month

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