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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: race · firm · mate · pop · nail · bark · bore · bank

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. firm — decided
  6. bore — to drill
  7. firm — steady
  8. mate — a partner
  9. pop — to visit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pop — soda
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. race — a contest
  17. bank — for money
  18. pop — music
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bore — to tire
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. firm — a company
  24. mate — a friend

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