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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: snap · branch · rest · present · racket · bore · lean · sharp

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  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. bore — to tire
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rest — what's left
  5. present — the time now
  6. rest — a break
  7. lean — thin
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. present — there
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. branch — a division
  12. rest — what's left
  13. present — a gift
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. sharp — clever
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lean — to bend
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. snap — to click
  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