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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. branch — a division
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. sharp — clever
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. charge — in control
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pitch — completely
  15. charge — electricity
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. charge — a price
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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