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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cold — an illness
  10. branch — a division
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cold — not warm
  16. rock — a stone
  17. cue — for pool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rock — music
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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