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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. spring — of water
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. spring — a coil
  6. degree — temperature
  7. suit — in cards
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. branch — a division
  11. spring — the season
  12. bore — to drill
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. suit — to fit
  15. degree — an amount
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bear — the animal
  21. degree — from a university
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bore — to tire

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