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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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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: racket · bank · foot · branch · mine · wind · bore · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bank — for money
  3. wind — moving air
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bank — for money
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mine — for digging
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. branch — a division
  22. wind — moving air
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bore — gave birth

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