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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bound — obliged
  3. suit — to fit
  4. file — a tool
  5. suit — in cards
  6. branch — a division
  7. staff — employees
  8. file — a document
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. suit — clothes
  15. staff — a stick
  16. file — a line of people
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. staff — employees
  20. ball — a great time
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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