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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. row — to paddle
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cell — in biology
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mine — for digging
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cell — a phone
  13. rush — hurry
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — a line
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. plane — a tool

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