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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. branch — a division
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stock — goods
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. last — finally
  8. stock — shares
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. hand — help
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bank — for money
  19. bulb — for light
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. last — to go on
  24. hand — in cards

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