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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. branch — a division
  6. court — of law
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — in football
  11. stand — to bear
  12. court — for sport
  13. bore — to drill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pound — a weight
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. court — of a king
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. stand — on your feet

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