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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 120 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. branch — a division
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bore — to drill
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. sharp — clever

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