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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. spring — a coil
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bore — to drill
  7. can — to be able to
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. present — there
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. branch — a division
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — the season
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. present — the time now
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. present — a gift

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