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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: rule · can · nail · branch · perch · bore · racket · rash

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bore — to drill
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rule — government
  5. bore — to tire
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. can — to be able to
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. rule — a law
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — a division
  17. rash — hasty
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. can — a tin
  22. rash — a series
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bore — gave birth

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