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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: wax · pass · rush · mine · bass · bear · bore · branch

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mine — for digging
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. rush — hurry
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bore — to drill
  23. branch — a division
  24. pass — to succeed

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