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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. cue — a signal
  4. wake — a trail
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bore — to drill
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cue — a hint
  9. charge — in control
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. charge — a price
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pound — a weight
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. branch — a division
  23. cue — for pool
  24. calf — of the leg

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