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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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Word bank
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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: net · wind · key · branch · rock · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rock — music
  3. wind — moving air
  4. net — in sport
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. key — in music
  7. branch — a division
  8. bore — to drill
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. net — after costs
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bore — to tire
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. net — for catching
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rock — a stone

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