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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. degree — temperature
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. branch — a division
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — to drill
  12. foot — a measure
  13. degree — an amount
  14. degree — from a university
  15. cold — not warm
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cold — an illness
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bowl — a dish

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