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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: branch · wave · bore · straw · object · patient · charge · bay

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. object — an aim
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. object — to protest
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bore — to tire
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. object — a thing
  18. branch — a division
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. patient — a sick person

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