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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: fine · spring · fall · branch · ball · snap · bore · mark

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fall — the season
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bore — to drill
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. spring — of water
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bore — to tire
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. spring — a coil
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. mark — a grade
  16. snap — to click
  17. spring — the season
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mark — a trace

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