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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: branch · race · jam · capital · season · bore · present · cabinet

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. season — in sport
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bore — to drill
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. present — the time now
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. race — a contest
  12. present — there
  13. bore — to tire
  14. capital — money
  15. race — the arms race
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. season — of the year
  18. present — a gift
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. branch — a division
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. race — humankind
  23. capital — a city
  24. bore — gave birth

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