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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. 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. rash — on the skin
  2. branch — a division
  3. bank — for money
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bank — of a river
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bank — for money
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. key — for a lock
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rash — a series
  21. pitch — completely
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. key — in music
  24. 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