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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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fall — the season
  3. firm — a company
  4. bore — to tire
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pop — to visit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — music
  13. swing — to play on
  14. fall — to drop
  15. firm — steady
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. swing — music
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bore — to drill
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. swing — in golf
  24. firm — decided

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