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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 124 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. cap — of ice
  5. pound — a weight
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. firm — a company
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. season — of the year
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. firm — decided
  22. plane — a tool
  23. firm — steady
  24. cap — a lid

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