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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bore — to drill
  3. branch — a division
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. firm — steady
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. bore — to tire
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. press — a publisher
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — a company
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. firm — decided
  21. press — newspapers
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. press — to push
  24. racket — for tennis

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