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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: ruler · branch · wake · pop · tube · charge · rock · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. charge — in control
  3. pop — music
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rock — music
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — to visit
  14. wake — a trail
  15. charge — electricity
  16. tube — the underground
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. tube — a container
  21. charge — a price
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rock — to move gently

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