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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: bay · snap · foot · face · row · branch · rush · object

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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 tree
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. rush — hurry
  10. face — to confront
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. object — to protest
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. object — an aim
  19. face — part of the head
  20. object — a thing
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to click
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rush — to hurry

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