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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. key — in music
  5. pit — a hole
  6. club — a group
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. key — the most important part
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. club — for dancing
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. pit — in a race
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. branch — a division
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. club — for golf
  21. hand — in cards
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. hand — help

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