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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. scale — in music
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. scale — size or range
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bank — of a river
  13. race — the arms race
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bank — for money
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. branch — a division
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bark — to shout
  24. coach — a trainer

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