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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bulb — for light
  3. last — finally
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. season — of the year
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. club — for dancing
  9. branch — a division
  10. wake — a trail
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. club — for golf
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. season — in sport
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bore — to tire
  20. craft — boats
  21. club — a group
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bore — to drill
  24. craft — a skill

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