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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. key — the most important part
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. tear — from crying
  12. swing — music
  13. pass — a permit
  14. branch — a division
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. key — for a lock
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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