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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: tear · bore · wave · key · branch · content · bowl · safe

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. tear — to rip
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. content — the amount
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. content — happy
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bore — to tire
  21. key — in music
  22. tear — from crying
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bore — to drill

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