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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. chest — of your body
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — to drill
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. chest — a box
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. suit — in cards
  15. branch — a division
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. saw — the tool
  20. shower — rain
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. chest — of your body

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