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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mug — to rob
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — a face
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. capital — a city
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. fall — the season
  12. bore — to tire
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rest — a break
  15. branch — a division
  16. bore — to drill
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. fall — to drop
  19. capital — money
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rest — what's left

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