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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. can — a tin
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. branch — a division
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. rock — a stone
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rock — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bore — to tire

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