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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lean — thin
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. march — the month
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. lean — to bend
  10. file — a document
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a line of people
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. march — the month
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bore — to tire
  19. march — music
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lie — an untruth

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