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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. deal — to handle
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bore — to drill
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stand — to bear
  11. branch — a division
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — happy
  17. bore — to tire
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. trunk — of a tree

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