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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. wind — moving air
  6. plane — a tool
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. saw — the tool
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. saw — the tool
  16. race — humankind
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. wind — moving air
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. race — a contest
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. branch — a division
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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