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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 116 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: kick · branch · can · cabinet · ruler · ball · bore · bass

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. ball — a great time
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bass — low music
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bore — to tire
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. can — a tin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. kick — in football
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bass — the fish
  18. can — to be able to
  19. branch — a division
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bore — to drill
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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