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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cap — a hat
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cap — of ice
  6. swing — in golf
  7. track — a path
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cap — a lid
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. track — a song
  12. swing — music
  13. present — the time now
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. key — the most important part
  19. branch — a division
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. track — to keep track
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. branch — of a tree

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