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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: ruler · content · chip · nail · bound · branch · kid · bore

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bore — to drill
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. content — the amount
  11. chip — to eat
  12. kid — to tease
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bound — tied together
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. content — happy
  18. kid — child
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. chip — for betting
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. branch — a division

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