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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. face — part of the head
  6. key — in music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. face — to point toward
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pass — a permit
  15. face — to confront
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bass — low music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. branch — a division
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bass — the fish
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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