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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · toast · bore · patient · temple · kid

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. toast — bread
  3. bore — to drill
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bore — to tire
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. kid — child
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. branch — a division

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