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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: safe · file · kick · current · tear · bore · bulb · branch

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. tear — to rip
  7. bore — to drill
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bulb — for light
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. branch — a division
  13. current — of water
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. kick — in football
  17. bulb — for light
  18. file — a document
  19. bore — to tire
  20. current — happening now
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. current — electric
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. branch — of a bank

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