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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. band — a ring
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. branch — a division
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. band — a music group
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. firm — a company
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. toast — bread
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stand — to bear
  24. branch — of a bank

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