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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. spring — a coil
  8. cue — a signal
  9. spring — of water
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mark — a grade
  12. fork — in a road
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. spring — the season
  15. staff — a stick
  16. branch — a division
  17. mark — a trace
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cue — for pool
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. cue — a hint
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. calf — of the leg

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