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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. key — the most important part
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. bulb — for light
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mark — a trace
  8. prune — to trim
  9. object — to protest
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — to confront
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bulb — for light
  14. object — a thing
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. object — an aim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. mark — a grade
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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