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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. scale — in music
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rush — hurry
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. land — to come down
  12. branch — a division
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. land — a country
  17. land — ground
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bear — the animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. calf — a young animal

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