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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bank — for money
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — to sink
  9. firm — decided
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bank — of a river
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. firm — a company
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. firm — steady
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bank — for money

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