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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. 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. cap — a hat
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rule — a law
  8. craft — a skill
  9. cap — a lid
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. branch — a division
  13. rule — government
  14. bore — to tire
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. craft — boats
  17. bore — to drill
  18. 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