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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 120 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. can — a tin
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. race — the arms race
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. race — humankind
  10. field — a subject
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. field — farmland
  13. bore — to drill
  14. charge — in control
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cap — a lid
  18. race — a contest
  19. field — for sport
  20. charge — a price
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — a division
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bore — to tire

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