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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: wax · branch · nail · pit · bore · hide · perch · rush

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. pit — a hole
  8. branch — a division
  9. perch — the fish
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wax — to grow
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bore — to drill
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rush — to hurry

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