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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: content · toast · branch · face · pitch · fork · bulb · temple

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. content — the amount
  4. bulb — for light
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — bread
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. face — part of the head
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. face — to confront
  17. fork — in a road
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. content — happy

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