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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. branch — a division
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. key — the most important part
  10. fine — all right
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. ball — a dance
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ball — a great time
  17. saw — the tool
  18. branch — of a bank

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