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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. current — of water
  7. chest — of your body
  8. current — electric
  9. cue — for pool
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. branch — a division
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. perch — the fish
  17. cue — a hint
  18. chest — a box
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cue — a signal
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. current — happening now
  24. branch — of a tree

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