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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: suit · bore · leaves · branch · bound · bass · stick · wake

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bass — low music
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bound — certain
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bound — obliged
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bore — to tire
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. suit — clothes
  21. branch — a division
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bore — gave birth

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