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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 116 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: bore · file · wave · last · degree · mouse · nail · branch

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. file — a document
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bore — to drill
  7. last — to go on
  8. file — a line of people
  9. degree — an amount
  10. branch — a division
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. last — finally
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. last — final
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. file — a tool
  22. degree — temperature
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. degree — from a university

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