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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. clip — to cut
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fall — to drop
  5. object — an aim
  6. craft — boats
  7. branch — a division
  8. object — a thing
  9. craft — a skill
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. clip — for paper
  12. stand — to bear
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fall — the season
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. clip — a video
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. object — to protest
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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