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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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. nail — for a hammer
  4. mine — for digging
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fall — the season
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. squash — to crush
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. key — for a lock
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. key — in music
  22. branch — a division
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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