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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. ground — crushed
  9. chest — a box
  10. club — for dancing
  11. ground — the earth
  12. club — a group
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. club — for golf
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. chest — of your body
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. ground — a position
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bore — to tire
  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