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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.

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: fork · dip · safe · drill · branch · stem · spell · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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 tree
  3. dip — to sink
  4. spell — letters
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. drill — army training
  8. stem — to come from
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. spell — magic
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. drill — a practice
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. branch — a division
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. fork — in a road
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bore — to drill
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. spell — a short time

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