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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: wound · bore · suit · race · branch · spell · plane · board

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bore — to drill
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bore — to tire
  8. suit — in cards
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. board — a committee
  14. race — the arms race
  15. wound — an injury
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. branch — a division
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. spell — magic
  21. board — to get on
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — a contest
  24. wound — an injury

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