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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 · mine · branch · bore · sharp · mate · stick · bound

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bound — tied together
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. mate — to breed
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. branch — a division
  13. sharp — clever
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bound — obliged
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bound — certain
  24. sharp — exactly

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