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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. scale — in music
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. game — a match
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. degree — temperature
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. game — wild animals
  13. branch — a division
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bore — to drill
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. degree — an amount
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. degree — from a university
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bore — to tire

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