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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.

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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: present · fan · rest · dip · nail · branch · bound · object

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rest — what's left
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — an aim
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bound — obliged
  10. dip — to sink
  11. present — there
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. present — a gift
  15. rest — a break
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. object — a thing
  19. bound — certain
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. branch — a division
  23. present — the time now
  24. object — to protest

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