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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. tear — from crying
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. ground — a position
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. tear — from crying
  8. object — an aim
  9. bore — to tire
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bore — to drill
  13. ground — crushed
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. tear — to rip
  16. object — to protest
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. snap — to click
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ground — the earth
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. object — a thing
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. perch — the fish

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