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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. mark — a trace
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. last — to go on
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bore — to tire
  8. last — final
  9. root — of a word
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cap — of ice
  14. hand — help
  15. root — the cause
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. cap — a hat
  19. hand — in cards
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. last — finally
  24. bore — to drill

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