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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mug — to rob
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bore — to tire
  8. court — for sport
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. court — of law
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. key — in music
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. firm — a company
  15. key — the most important part
  16. court — of a king
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pound — a weight
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bore — to drill
  22. mug — a face
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. branch — of a bank

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