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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · cabinet · racket · bore · present · fall · branch · rock

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fall — to drop
  4. spring — of water
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rock — a stone
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fall — the season
  10. rock — music
  11. branch — a division
  12. present — the time now
  13. bore — to drill
  14. present — a gift
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. present — there
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. racket — for tennis

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