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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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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: bore · racket · bulb · row · mate · branch · wave · charge

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. branch — a division
  3. bore — to drill
  4. row — to paddle
  5. charge — a price
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bulb — for light
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. charge — in control
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — a friend
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. row — a line
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mate — to breed
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. wave — of the sea

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