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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: squash · clip · key · staff · cell · suit · branch · nail

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — for paper
  3. staff — a stick
  4. suit — clothes
  5. clip — to cut
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. squash — to crush
  8. staff — employees
  9. suit — in cards
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. key — in music
  13. cell — a phone
  14. key — the most important part
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. squash — the sport
  20. staff — employees
  21. suit — to fit
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — a division
  24. nail — for a hammer

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