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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: bark · deal · bear · suit · branch · prune · drill · nail

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. drill — the tool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. suit — clothes
  12. prune — to trim
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. drill — army training
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bark — to shout
  24. branch — a division

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