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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bear — the animal
  5. branch — a division
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. firm — a company
  10. bear — the animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. present — the time now
  14. cell — in biology
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. cell — a phone
  20. firm — decided
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bore — to tire
  24. nail — for a hammer

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