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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bore — to drill
  4. branch — a division
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. degree — temperature
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wake — a trail
  9. degree — from a university
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. degree — an amount
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bore — to tire
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. branch — of a tree

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