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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. spell — magic
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. ball — a great time
  6. branch — a division
  7. firm — a company
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ball — a dance
  13. spell — a short time
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. firm — steady
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to click
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. spell — letters

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