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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 120 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: bulb · branch · spell · bore · bank · nail · lie · dip

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. spell — magic
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bank — of a river
  12. spell — letters
  13. bank — for money
  14. bulb — for light
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lie — to recline
  17. branch — a division
  18. bore — to tire
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — to sink
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. branch — of a bank

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