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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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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 · cue · bank · drill · bore · season · band · cap

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. cap — a lid
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. cue — a hint
  9. band — a ring
  10. season — in sport
  11. cue — for pool
  12. season — of the year
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — a practice
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — a division
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cap — a hat
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. band — a music group
  21. bore — to tire
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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