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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: fall · firm · cabinet · present · branch · bulb · bore · fine

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. present — a gift
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. firm — steady
  12. present — the time now
  13. firm — a company
  14. fall — the season
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bulb — for light
  19. firm — decided
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fine — all right

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