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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: spell · bore · branch · hide · nail · ground · current · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ground — the earth
  5. current — electric
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pound — a weight
  10. spell — magic
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. ground — a position
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — of water
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ground — crushed
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bore — to drill
  24. branch — a division

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