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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lie — to recline
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. can — a tin
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. branch — a division
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bore — to drill
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pitch — completely

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