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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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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: pound · present · perch · lie · branch · bank · bore · content

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. present — there
  5. present — a gift
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bore — to tire
  8. present — the time now
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. content — happy
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. lie — to recline
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. content — the amount
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. perch — the fish

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