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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bore — to tire
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. field — farmland
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. perch — the fish
  8. field — a subject
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. field — for sport
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. deal — to handle
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fall — the season
  16. bore — to drill
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. branch — a division
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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