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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 116 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bank — for money
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cell — a phone
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. cell — in biology
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bore — to drill
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bear — the animal
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bank — of a river
  16. band — a music group
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. bore — to tire
  22. branch — a division
  23. band — a ring
  24. bank — for money

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