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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. mate — a friend
  11. branch — a division
  12. current — of water
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. mate — a partner
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mate — to breed
  21. current — happening now
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bark — to shout
  24. current — electric

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