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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. tube — a container
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. kid — child
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. tube — the underground
  13. kid — to tease
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bore — to tire
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bank — for money
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. branch — a division
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bear — the animal

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