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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · calf · drill · bear · firm · branch · arm · bay

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. firm — decided
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. drill — army training
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. tear — from crying
  13. firm — a company
  14. tear — to rip
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bear — the animal
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. firm — steady
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. branch — a division
  24. calf — a young animal

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