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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. press — a publisher
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bore — to drill
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. net — for catching
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bore — to tire
  15. branch — a division
  16. face — to point toward
  17. tear — from crying
  18. face — to confront
  19. net — after costs
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. press — to push
  22. net — in sport
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. vault — a safe

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