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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.

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: mouse · pound · branch · hand · charge · bore · bay · mate

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. hand — in cards
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. charge — a price
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. hand — help
  18. bore — to drill
  19. charge — electricity
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mate — a friend
  23. charge — in control
  24. branch — a division

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