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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. last — finally
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. last — final
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. lie — to recline
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — to drill
  20. last — to go on
  21. tube — a container
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. branch — a division
  24. lie — an untruth

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