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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: wind · bay · bulb · wave · bore · key · mark · branch

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wind — moving air
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. branch — a division
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bulb — for light

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