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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 120 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: race · leaves · bore · lean · firm · bark · spell · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bore — to tire
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. lean — thin
  8. firm — steady
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bark — to shout
  12. spell — letters
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — humankind
  15. bore — to drill
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. spell — magic
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. branch — a division
  21. firm — decided
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. race — a contest
  24. firm — a company

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