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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. club — for golf
  5. race — a contest
  6. capital — money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. board — to get on
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. branch — a division
  11. bore — to drill
  12. club — a group
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bore — to tire
  16. club — for dancing
  17. board — a committee
  18. capital — a city
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. race — humankind
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. capital — a big letter

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