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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: wave · arm · branch · bore · suit · wind · spell · bear

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. bore — to tire
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. spell — a short time
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bear — the animal
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bore — to drill
  15. spell — magic
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. wind — moving air
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. branch — a division
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. spell — letters
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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