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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. board — to get on
  4. bore — to drill
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bore — to tire
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. board — a committee
  12. branch — a division
  13. content — the amount
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. content — happy
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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