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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stock — goods
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. staff — employees
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. staff — a stick
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rule — government
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. spell — magic
  12. branch — a division
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. staff — employees
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. lean — to bend
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — shares
  20. lean — thin
  21. rule — a law
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. spell — letters

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