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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — to paddle
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. fork — in a road
  7. branch — a division
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. row — a line
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. root — the cause
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. root — of a word
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. root — of a plant
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. branch — of a tree

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