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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.

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: staff · branch · plane · racket · cabinet · wave · row · bore

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. staff — employees
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. row — a line
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bore — to tire
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. row — to paddle
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. branch — a division
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bore — to drill

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