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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. spell — a short time
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. spell — letters
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. spell — magic
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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