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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 120 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bark — to shout
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. vault — a safe
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. suit — clothes
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bass — the fish
  18. suit — to fit
  19. branch — a division
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — low music
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — a straw man

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