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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bore — to drill
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. branch — a division
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. prune — to trim
  12. field — a subject
  13. bore — to tire
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. field — farmland
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. prune — to trim
  21. field — for sport
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wave — of the sea

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