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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mate — a friend
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. branch — a division
  10. present — there
  11. tear — from crying
  12. craft — boats
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mate — to breed
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — to drill
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. present — the time now
  23. tear — to rip
  24. present — a gift

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