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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. tear — to rip
  3. race — a contest
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. race — humankind
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bore — to tire
  15. race — the arms race
  16. face — to confront
  17. wax — to grow
  18. tear — from crying
  19. branch — a division
  20. bass — low music
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pass — a permit
  24. face — to point toward

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