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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: bear · bore · rule · bass · racket · branch · ball · snap

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. rule — government
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. snap — to click
  13. branch — a division
  14. rule — a law
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. ball — a dance
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bear — to put up with

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