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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: branch · kick · fan · pound · bay · cabinet · spell · bore

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. branch — a division
  5. pound — a weight
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. spell — a short time
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. spell — letters
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. spell — magic
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bore — to drill
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bore — to tire
  24. cabinet — ministers

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