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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. charge — a price
  5. last — finally
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. last — to go on
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. craft — boats
  12. charge — in control
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. charge — electricity
  16. craft — a skill
  17. last — final
  18. nail — on a finger

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