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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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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. can — to be able to
  3. deal — to handle
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. rash — hasty
  6. can — a tin
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rash — a series
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bank — for money
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bank — of a river
  14. can — a tin
  15. shower — to wash
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bank — for money
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. branch — a division
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. shower — rain
  24. rash — on the skin

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