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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: branch · pound · squash · bass · fork · bore · pass · spring

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bass — low music
  4. squash — to crush
  5. spring — a coil
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. spring — the season
  8. pass — a permit
  9. spring — of water
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pound — a weight
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. squash — the sport
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. branch — a division
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bass — the instrument

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