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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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — the animal
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. branch — a division
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. deal — to handle
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. dip — to sink
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bore — to tire
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bank — for money
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bat — in an idiom

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