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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pitch — completely
  6. vault — a safe
  7. object — to protest
  8. bore — to tire
  9. capital — money
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. object — a thing
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. object — an aim
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. capital — a city
  22. branch — a division
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. safe — out of danger

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