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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 rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. branch — a division
  3. club — a group
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bore — to tire
  6. face — to point toward
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lean — thin
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. face — part of the head
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — rain
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bore — to drill
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. can — a tin
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. face — to confront

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