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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. spell — magic
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. face — to point toward
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. prune — to trim
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pass — a permit
  16. spell — letters
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. face — to confront
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bore — to tire
  22. prune — to trim
  23. face — part of the head
  24. branch — of a bank

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