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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. present — a gift
  9. lean — to bend
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. object — a thing
  12. lean — thin
  13. present — the time now
  14. branch — a division
  15. object — to protest
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. rash — a series
  18. object — an aim
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — to rob
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rash — hasty
  24. plane — in geometry

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