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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 116 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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rush — hurry
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. key — in music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bat — the animal
  20. branch — a division
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. stand — to bear
  24. deal — an agreement

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