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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: chip · branch · lean · foot · bear · nail · cap · bore

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. chip — to eat
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cap — of ice
  8. branch — a division
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. lean — thin
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. foot — a measure
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bear — the animal
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bore — to drill
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bore — to tire

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