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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. drill — the tool
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wind — moving air
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. shower — rain
  10. drill — army training
  11. deal — to handle
  12. key — in music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wind — moving air
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. can — a tin
  21. drill — a practice
  22. shower — to wash
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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