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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. branch — a division
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. last — finally
  9. bound — certain
  10. pit — in a race
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pit — a hole
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bound — obliged
  19. suit — clothes
  20. last — final
  21. last — to go on
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pitch — completely

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