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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mate — a friend
  5. lean — thin
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bore — to drill
  8. branch — a division
  9. current — electric
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. current — of water
  12. mate — a partner
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to click
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mate — to breed
  20. current — happening now
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. branch — of a tree

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