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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: branch · bore · hand · cue · wax · arm · suit · snap

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. branch — a division
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bore — to tire
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. cue — a signal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. snap — to click
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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