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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — to tease
  4. suit — clothes
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. last — finally
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stem — to come from
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — a container
  11. last — final
  12. suit — in cards
  13. branch — a division
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. kid — child
  16. band — a ring
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. last — to go on
  23. band — a music group
  24. nail — on a finger

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