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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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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. track — a song
  3. bulb — for light
  4. track — a path
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a tool
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. file — a line of people
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. tear — from crying
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. branch — a division
  20. tear — from crying
  21. track — to keep track
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lash — an eyelash

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