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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: rest · branch · wave · mine · bank · lean · bulb · bore

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bore — to tire
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. lean — thin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. branch — a division
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bank — for money
  19. rest — a break
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bore — to drill

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