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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. current — electric
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. current — happening now
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bank — for money
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bank — of a river
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. branch — a division
  16. bore — to tire
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of law
  19. bank — for money
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. current — of water
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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