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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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468
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: object · racket · bass · branch · tube · drill · row · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. object — an aim
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. tube — a container
  8. drill — the tool
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. object — a thing
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. row — a line
  21. tube — the underground
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. object — to protest

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