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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. firm — decided
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. firm — steady
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pit — a hole
  11. firm — a company
  12. tear — to rip
  13. season — of the year
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. tear — from crying
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bore — to tire
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  24. ball — a dance

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