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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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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pit — a hole
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hand — help
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. current — of water
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pit — in a race
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. object — a thing
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. hand — in cards
  15. branch — a division
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. current — happening now
  18. object — an aim
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. plane — a tool
  22. current — electric
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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