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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pop — soda
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bear — the animal
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. suit — clothes
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rash — a series
  17. suit — to fit
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. rash — hasty
  21. pop — music
  22. bore — to drill
  23. suit — in cards
  24. present — there

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