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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 120 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. present — the time now
  3. file — a document
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rock — music
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. last — final
  11. capital — a city
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. capital — money
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rock — a stone
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. last — finally
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. branch — a division
  22. plane — a tool
  23. last — to go on
  24. file — a tool

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