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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. track — a path
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. saw — the tool
  5. track — a song
  6. bore — to drill
  7. hand — in cards
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. track — to keep track
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. shower — rain
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. shower — to wash
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. suit — to fit
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bore — to tire
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. hand — help

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