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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: nail · bark · charge · branch · racket · bore · race · pit

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bore — to tire
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bark — to shout
  8. pit — in a race
  9. race — humankind
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. race — a contest
  18. branch — a division
  19. charge — a price
  20. pit — a hole
  21. charge — in control
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bore — to drill
  24. charge — electricity

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