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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. degree — an amount
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — a trail
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bore — to drill
  18. degree — temperature
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. degree — from a university
  24. ruler — for measuring

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