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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: coach · present · row · bore · pass · kick · roll · branch

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bore — to drill
  3. row — to paddle
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. row — a line
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bore — to tire
  10. present — there
  11. roll — a list
  12. present — the time now
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. branch — a division
  21. kick — in football
  22. roll — a cake
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. coach — a trainer

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