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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wind · scale · row · bore · branch · wax · bowl · board

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. row — a line
  10. wind — moving air
  11. scale — size or range
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. branch — a division
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. board — to get on
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. scale — in music

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