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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bore — to drill
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fork — in a road
  13. roll — a list
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bore — to tire
  21. band — a ring
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. band — a music group

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