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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. club — for golf
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. land — a country
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. club — for dancing
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pit — a hole
  16. land — ground
  17. branch — a division
  18. bore — to tire
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. land — to come down
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. club — a group
  24. arm — part of the body

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