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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. can — a tin
  4. mug — a cup
  5. chest — of your body
  6. branch — a division
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. chest — a box
  9. can — to be able to
  10. prune — to trim
  11. key — in music
  12. mug — to rob
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mug — a face
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. prune — to trim
  20. can — a tin
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chest — of your body
  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