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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 don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. content — happy
  4. content — the amount
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bore — to tire
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. firm — decided
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. firm — steady
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. snap — to click
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. firm — a company
  23. bore — to drill
  24. branch — a division

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