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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bore — to drill
  3. perch — the fish
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bank — of a river
  6. chip — to eat
  7. current — of water
  8. branch — a division
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. chip — for betting
  11. current — electric
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. current — happening now

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