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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 120 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: dip · rock · bank · straw · bore · spell · branch · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rock — music
  4. spell — a short time
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rock — a stone
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bank — for money
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bore — to drill
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bank — for money
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. branch — a division
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bore — to tire
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. dip — to sink

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