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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — finally
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. squash — the sport
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. firm — steady
  11. bore — to drill
  12. firm — a company
  13. last — to go on
  14. pound — a weight
  15. firm — decided
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bore — to tire
  19. squash — to crush
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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