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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 124 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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. key — in music
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. saw — the tool
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — a series
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. key — the most important part
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. branch — a division
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. key — for a lock

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