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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. drill — a practice
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. drill — the tool
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. branch — a division
  21. cue — a hint
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cue — a signal
  24. drill — army training

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