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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 120 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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bore — to drill
  3. craft — boats
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pitch — completely
  6. craft — a skill
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. rash — a series
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. branch — a division
  16. degree — from a university
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. degree — an amount
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bore — to tire

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