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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.

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: bowl · scale · bore · bear · branch · date · stand · dip

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. scale — in music
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bear — the animal
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. branch — a division
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bore — to drill
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bore — to tire
  24. date — on the calendar

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