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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mark — a grade
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bank — for money
  10. present — there
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mark — a trace
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. present — the time now
  16. branch — a division
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bank — for money
  22. present — a gift
  23. bank — of a river
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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