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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.

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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: object · pound · rest · spring · branch · bowl · capital · roll

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. capital — money
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rest — a break
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. roll — a list
  9. pound — a weight
  10. object — to protest
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. spring — the season
  13. branch — a division
  14. spring — of water
  15. capital — a city
  16. object — a thing
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. object — an aim
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rest — what's left

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