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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. root — the cause
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. sharp — clever
  10. root — of a word
  11. rule — a law
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. root — of a plant
  17. branch — a division
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bore — to tire
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rule — government

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