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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: cue · cabinet · sharp · present · pop · branch · racket · lean

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pop — to visit
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. present — a gift
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. present — there
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pop — music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cue — a signal
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cue — for pool
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lean — to bend
  18. present — the time now
  19. cue — a hint
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. lean — thin
  23. pop — soda
  24. racket — a loud noise

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