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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: stick · race · branch · hand · mate · cabinet · rock · racket

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. race — the arms race
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. hand — help
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. race — a contest
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. branch — a division
  20. race — humankind
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — music
  24. hand — in cards

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