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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. branch — a division
  3. race — the arms race
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. craft — a skill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. race — humankind
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. race — a contest
  22. craft — boats
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. coach — a trainer

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