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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · coach · bear · tear · bass · nail · branch · rest

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. branch — a division
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rest — what's left
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bass — low music
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bore — to drill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. tear — from crying
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bear — the animal
  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