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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rest — a break
  3. object — an aim
  4. rest — what's left
  5. branch — a division
  6. object — a thing
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. object — to protest
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. net — in sport
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bore — to drill
  23. stock — shares
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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