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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bound — tied together
  4. firm — a company
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bank — for money
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. bound — certain
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. scale — size or range
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — a division
  21. scale — in music
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. branch — of a bank

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