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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — to handle
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. club — for dancing
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. foot — a measure
  10. kid — to tease
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. board — a committee
  14. club — a group
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. kid — child
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. board — to get on
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. club — for golf
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. branch — a division

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