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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: drill · press · bore · branch · calf · nail · ruler · root

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bore — to drill
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. root — of a plant
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a word
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. branch — a division
  20. bore — to tire
  21. drill — the tool
  22. press — a publisher
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — for measuring

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