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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. present — there
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — goods
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bore — to tire
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. staff — employees
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. staff — employees
  14. present — the time now
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pound — a weight
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stock — shares
  20. present — a gift
  21. branch — a division
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. cabinet — ministers

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