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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: bay · pound · squash · branch · ruler · cabinet · spell · lean

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. lean — thin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. spell — magic
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. squash — the sport
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — letters
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pound — a weight
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. lean — to bend
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — a division

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