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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 124 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pop — music
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. rush — hurry
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. branch — a division
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. deal — to handle
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rock — 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