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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: branch · racket · firm · season · object · stick · row · mate

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. mate — a friend
  3. object — a thing
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. firm — decided
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — to breed
  8. row — to paddle
  9. firm — a company
  10. branch — a division
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. row — a line
  14. firm — steady
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. season — in sport
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. object — an aim
  19. mate — a partner
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. object — to protest

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