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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. court — of a king
  3. bore — to drill
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. roll — a list
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. plane — a tool
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. branch — a division
  11. court — of law
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — in cards
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. hand — help
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. court — for sport
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bore — to tire

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