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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · nail · current · straw · content · deal · branch · craft

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — a division
  3. current — happening now
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. current — electric
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. content — happy
  12. content — the amount
  13. firm — a company
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. craft — a skill
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. deal — to handle
  20. firm — decided
  21. current — of water
  22. firm — steady
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. craft — boats

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