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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 120 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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wax — to grow
  3. branch — a division
  4. key — in music
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. suit — to fit
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. shower — rain
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. sharp — clever
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. suit — in cards
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. shower — to wash

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