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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 116 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: craft · branch · face · track · shower · lie · deal · fan

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. track — to keep track
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. track — a path
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. craft — a skill
  9. track — a song
  10. craft — boats
  11. lie — to recline
  12. face — part of the head
  13. shower — to wash
  14. deal — to handle
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. branch — a division
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. face — to confront
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. craft — a handicraft

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