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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fall — the season
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bore — to drill
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. fall — to drop
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bore — to tire
  13. scale — in music
  14. branch — a division
  15. pit — in a race
  16. scale — size or range
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lean — thin
  19. pit — a hole
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. lean — to rest against

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