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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. mate — to breed
  5. suit — in cards
  6. object — a thing
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. object — an aim
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mate — a partner
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. board — to get on
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. suit — clothes
  20. branch — a division
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lie — an untruth

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