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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · bore · arm · rule · kid · branch · bay · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bore — to drill
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bore — to tire
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. kid — child
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rule — a law
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. branch — a division
  23. rule — government
  24. kid — to tease

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