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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: bowl · spell · bore · swing · branch · rock · bulb · prune

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. prune — to trim
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. spell — magic
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. swing — music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. rock — music
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bore — to tire
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rock — to move gently

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