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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. track — to keep track
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a partner
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. track — a path
  8. mate — a friend
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. race — a contest
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. race — humankind
  19. branch — a division
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. track — a song
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. race — the arms race

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