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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. file — a tool
  3. net — after costs
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. file — a line of people
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — for catching
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bore — to drill
  12. suit — in cards
  13. branch — a division
  14. file — a document
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. arm — a part of something

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