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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bat — the animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. track — a song
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. track — a path
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bore — to tire
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bore — to drill
  18. branch — a division
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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