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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. bear — the animal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. last — final
  8. tube — a container
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. last — to go on
  11. root — of a word
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. root — of a plant
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bear — the animal
  17. tube — the underground
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. last — finally
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. row — a line
  22. root — the cause
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bear — to put up with

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