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

Word bank: saw · nail · branch · rest · fork · kick · ruler · rash

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rest — what's left
  3. saw — the tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rest — what's left
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. kick — in football
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rash — hasty
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rash — a series
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rest — a break
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. branch — a division
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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