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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 120 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. key — the most important part
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. key — in music
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. row — to paddle
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. row — a line

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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