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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 116 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 · branch · file · can · bass · chair · firm · safe

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. firm — decided
  5. can — a tin
  6. file — a tool
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bore — to drill
  10. branch — a division
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. firm — a company
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bass — low music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. file — a line of people
  18. firm — steady
  19. bore — to tire
  20. file — a document
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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