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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: ruler · leaves · dip · bore · mouse · straw · branch · current

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bore — to tire
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bore — to drill
  9. branch — a division
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. current — electric
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. current — happening now
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. current — of water
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. dip — to sink
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. straw — a straw man

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