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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bore · branch · saw · kick · fall · root · tube · scale

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bore — to tire
  6. scale — in music
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. root — of a word
  9. scale — size or range
  10. saw — the tool
  11. kick — in football
  12. tube — the underground
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. branch — a division
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. tube — a container
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — the cause
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fall — the season

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