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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 120 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. branch — a division
  9. bank — for money
  10. root — of a word
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. object — an aim
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. root — the cause
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. object — a thing
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. object — to protest
  22. root — of a plant
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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