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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: snap · band · bore · present · trunk · branch · board · rash

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. snap — to click
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. bore — to drill
  12. band — a music group
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rash — a series
  16. band — a ring
  17. board — a committee
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bore — to tire

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