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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 116 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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468
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. season — of the year
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mine — for digging
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. branch — a division
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. season — in sport

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