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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 116 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. row — to paddle
  3. club — a group
  4. branch — a division
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. last — to go on
  9. club — for dancing
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. club — for golf
  12. bore — to drill
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. last — finally
  17. last — final
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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