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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: row · squash · branch · bay · nail · bear · firm · date

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. firm — steady
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. squash — the sport
  6. firm — a company
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bear — the animal
  9. squash — to crush
  10. branch — a division
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. row — a line
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — decided
  18. bear — the animal
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. row — a quarrel

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