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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: pop · lash · sharp · ball · rest · branch · lean · bore

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. pop — music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pop — to visit
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. sharp — clever
  8. rest — what's left
  9. branch — a division
  10. ball — a dance
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bore — to drill
  14. lean — thin
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. pop — soda
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rest — a break
  23. ball — a great time
  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