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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 120 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: squash · safe · branch · object · board · tube · bore · perch

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — the fish
  4. tube — the underground
  5. squash — the sport
  6. object — an aim
  7. branch — a division
  8. bore — to drill
  9. squash — to crush
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. object — to protest
  14. bore — to tire
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. tube — a container
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. safe — a strongbox

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