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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. branch — a division
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rash — hasty
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rash — a series
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. ruler — for measuring

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