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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: arm · drill · fork · branch · roll · bass · saw · bore

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. bass — low music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. roll — a cake
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fork — in a road
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bore — to tire
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. saw — the tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bore — to drill
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. roll — a list
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. branch — a division
  24. arm — part of the body

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