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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: branch · clip · roll · safe · saw · hide · capital · bore

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. clip — a video
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. saw — the tool
  9. capital — money
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bore — to tire
  18. capital — a city
  19. clip — for paper
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. clip — to cut
  24. hide — to keep secret

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