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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: bound · snap · racket · ball · branch · nail · fine · calf

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. snap — to click
  5. fine — high quality
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bound — obliged
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — tied together
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. branch — a division
  18. ball — a dance
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fine — all right
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ball — a great time

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