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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.

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: branch · lie · wind · mug · pit · mark · rush · face

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rush — hurry
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. lie — to recline
  7. branch — a division
  8. mug — a face
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pit — in a race
  12. wind — moving air
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. face — to confront
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wind — moving air
  24. branch — of a tree

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