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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. branch — a division
  4. row — a line
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fork — in a road
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bore — to drill
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fall — to drop
  13. row — to paddle
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. kid — to tease
  17. kid — child
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fall — the season
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bore — to tire
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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