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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: dip · nail · land · fine · track · bore · branch · object

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bore — to tire
  5. land — to come down
  6. object — a thing
  7. track — a path
  8. bore — to drill
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. dip — to sink
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. object — to protest
  13. land — a country
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. object — an aim
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. land — ground
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. branch — a division
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. fine — all right

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