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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. toast — bread
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. face — to confront
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. face — part of the head
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bore — to tire
  23. face — to point toward
  24. hide — animal skin

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