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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. lie — to recline
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. branch — a division
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pit — a hole
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. object — a thing
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bore — to tire
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. track — a song
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pit — in a race
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. track — a path

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