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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · bore · mouse · kick · capital · fine · wake · branch

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wake — a trail
  8. capital — a city
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. fine — high quality
  14. branch — a division
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. mine — for digging
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fine — all right
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. capital — money
  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