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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bore — to tire
  4. branch — a division
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. craft — boats
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mate — a partner
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mouse — for a computer

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