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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: fork · firm · face · foot · branch · mouse · bore · chest

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. firm — decided
  5. face — to point toward
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. face — to confront
  9. chest — a box
  10. firm — a company
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. branch — a division
  13. foot — a measure
  14. face — part of the head
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. firm — steady
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. chest — of your body

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