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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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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: cap · firm · bore · cabinet · branch · wake · shower · jam

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bore — to drill
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cap — of ice
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. shower — to wash
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cap — a lid
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bore — to tire
  18. firm — a company
  19. shower — rain
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a bank

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