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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. branch — a division
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. firm — a company
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rest — what's left
  16. firm — decided
  17. wind — moving air
  18. perch — the fish
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wind — moving air
  23. firm — steady
  24. rest — a break

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