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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bore — to tire
  3. present — a gift
  4. dip — to sink
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bore — to drill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitch — completely
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. present — there
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. branch — a division
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. present — the time now
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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