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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bore — to tire
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. degree — from a university
  8. rest — what's left
  9. key — the most important part
  10. branch — a division
  11. craft — boats
  12. degree — an amount
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. degree — temperature
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rest — what's left

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