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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. plane — a tool
  10. tube — a container
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cold — not warm
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mug — a cup
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mug — a face
  23. branch — a division
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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