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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. tube — the underground
  6. object — a thing
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bass — the fish
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. object — to protest
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. object — an aim
  16. branch — a division
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to tire
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. tube — a container
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bass — low music
  24. tube — in a tire

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