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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bore — to tire
  4. band — a music group
  5. suit — in cards
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. branch — a division
  10. net — in sport
  11. mate — to breed
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bore — to drill
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. band — a ring
  20. net — after costs
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. band — a rubber band

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