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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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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: file · saw · arm · bank · branch · mine · bore · sharp

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bore — to drill
  3. file — a line of people
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. file — a document
  6. saw — the tool
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bore — to tire
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. saw — the tool
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. sharp — clever
  15. branch — a division
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bank — for money
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. file — a tool
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — belonging to me

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