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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fall — the season
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bank — for money
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fall — to drop
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bank — of a river
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. wake — a trail
  22. fall — to drop
  23. saw — the tool
  24. temple — side of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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