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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: bore · scale · spring · prune · ruler · wake · drill · branch

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. spring — a coil
  4. drill — army training
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. spring — of water
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. scale — in music
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wake — a trail
  14. scale — size or range
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. spring — the season
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bore — to tire
  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