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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 · craft · tear · root · rush · branch · can · track

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — to rip
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. root — of a word
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. root — the cause
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bore — to tire
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. track — to keep track
  16. root — of a plant
  17. can — a tin
  18. track — a path
  19. can — a tin
  20. track — a song
  21. craft — boats
  22. branch — a division
  23. bore — to drill
  24. tear — from crying

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