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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: pop · branch · cap · shower · rash · bore · leaves · bay

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bore — to drill
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pop — music
  10. branch — a division
  11. pop — soda
  12. cap — of ice
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. rash — a series
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bore — to tire
  22. cap — a hat
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. branch — of a tree

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