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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. scale — in music
  10. rule — a law
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bore — to drill
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. scale — size or range
  16. ball — a dance
  17. branch — a division
  18. rule — government
  19. bank — for money
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bank — for money
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. scale — for weighing

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