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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 124 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. net — for catching
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. net — after costs
  7. firm — a company
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. branch — a division
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. key — the most important part
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chip — for betting
  14. key — in music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. key — for a lock
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. net — in sport
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. hide — animal skin

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