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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bore — to tire
  3. craft — boats
  4. cue — a signal
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. craft — a skill
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bore — to drill
  12. race — humankind
  13. cue — a hint
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. toast — bread
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — a contest
  23. cue — for pool
  24. craft — a handicraft

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