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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. kid — child
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. prune — to trim
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bass — low music
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bass — the fish
  12. board — to get on
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. board — a committee
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. branch — a division
  21. key — the most important part
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. kid — to tease
  24. key — for a lock

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