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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. staff — a stick
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bank — of a river
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. kid — child
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bank — for money
  18. staff — employees
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. branch — a division
  23. bear — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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