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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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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: kick · bat · wave · charge · object · pitcher · bore · branch

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. object — a thing
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. branch — a division
  7. charge — in control
  8. object — an aim
  9. bore — to drill
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. charge — electricity
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. kick — in football
  15. charge — a price
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. object — to protest
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wave — with your hand

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