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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bore · branch · staff · hide · racket · ground · stick · band

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bore — to drill
  3. staff — a stick
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a music group
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. staff — employees
  9. ground — a position
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ground — crushed
  16. branch — a division
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. band — a ring
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ground — the earth
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. staff — employees
  24. racket — a loud noise

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