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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. deal — to handle
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. land — ground
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. land — a country
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. land — to come down
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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