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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mate — a partner
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pit — in a race
  9. lean — thin
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mate — a friend
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. branch — a division
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stand — to bear
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pit — a hole

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