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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 120 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: ground · branch · bore · kick · pop · ball · foot · club

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pop — to visit
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bore — to drill
  7. ground — a position
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. club — for dancing
  12. kick — in football
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. branch — a division
  16. pop — soda
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. ground — the earth
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pop — music
  24. ball — a dance

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