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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: bay · dip · branch · rock · nail · toast · degree · bore

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bore — to tire
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. branch — a division
  9. rock — music
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bore — to drill
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rock — a stone
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — an amount
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. toast — bread

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