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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mark — a trace
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — in cards
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. mug — a face
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mark — a grade
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fall — the season
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stock — goods
  18. mug — a cup
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stock — shares
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fall — to drop

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