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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: coach · cabinet · object · shower · pound · stick · branch · pit

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. shower — rain
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. shower — to wash
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. object — an aim
  15. branch — a division
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. object — a thing
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. object — to protest
  24. coach — a trainer

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